Two Sides: Light and Dark, Good and Evil
by substitutingrealitywithmyown
Summary: Insanity and Genius are separated by a thin line, as is Good and Evil, Light and Dark. History is written by the victors. This is a post-Hogwarts story that covers what I think should have happened to the wizarding world after the BoH. Will feature DarkishHarry, Hermione and new allies. Rated M for language, some adult situation, violence and safety. Image is from DHpt1 poster
1. Removing the Wool

**Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is NOT mine! I own nothing of the wonderful world that JK Rowling created. I'm just having some fun in her sandbox and not making any money off this. Enjoy!**

* * *

**He lay face down, listening to the silence. He was perfectly alone. Nobody was watching. Nobody else was there. He was not perfectly sure that he was there himself.**

** A long time later, or maybe no time at all, it came to him that he must exist, must be more than disembodied thought, because he was lying, definitely lying, on some surface. Therefore, he had a sense of touch, and the thing against which he lay existed too. **(Bold text comes from _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 35 Kings Cross, page 565, Bloomsbury Pub. 2007_)

Harry opened his eyes and blinked. Nothing changed. All around him was white; it stretched on for as far as he could see. The weirdest part was that the white seemed to have substance. Harry reached out his hand and pushed aside the white. He then noticed that he was naked. Just as soon as the thought came into being, so did a pile of clothes next to him. Harry pulled the clothes on, noticing that they fit him perfectly unlike those castoffs from the Dursleys.

"Harry!"

Harry turned to see his Headmaster striding toward him, wearing resplendent robes of deep purple with glittering stars dancing across them. '_Can you get anymore eye watering?_' Harry thought.

"Harry, my brave boy, no my brave man," Dumbledore beamed as he stood in front of Harry.

"Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

"Yes my boy," he said simply. "Let us take a walk, shall we?"

"But you're dead."

"That is correct," Dumbledore nodded.

"If you're dead, and I'm seeing you, does that mean I am dead too?"

"Now that is the question is it not?" Dumbledore answered cryptically. Harry felt a twinge of annoyance at his former Headmaster's evasiveness. "On the whole, I think not. You stand on the cusp of a precipice; you have a choice Harry. You can go back or move on."

"Speak plainly Dumbledore, am I dead or not?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore frowned down at his pupil. "I can not give you a true answer Harry," he said. "Only you can decide if you are dead or not but let us come back to that. I imagine you have other questions to ask of me."

"Oh I do, I'm just trying to figure out where to start," Harry said.

"Time has no meaning here Harry, so you may take as long as you like," Dumbledore said with a nod. After a moment, Harry decided on his first topic.

"The Horcruxes, let's start there."

"Excellent," Dumbledore beamed. "As you know, Tom delved deeper into the Dark Arts than any and discovered the Horcruxes as a means to escape Death. You know that he created his first one, the diary, sometime in his sixth year and then wanted to continue to push the boundaries of his limits. And in doing so, created the Locket, the Ring, the Chalice, the Diadem, his familiar and you, though you were an accidental Horcrux. When his spell backfired that night in Godric's Hollow, a piece of his soul fled to the only viable container there, you."

"So you've known that I was a Horcrux since 1981?" Harry asked, his mind beginning to reboot.

"Yes."

"You knew about me having a piece of…wait a minute, after I showed you the Diary, you said that the night Voldemort came after me, he transferred some of his powers to me, some of himself. Is that what you said?"

"Correct."

"WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?" Harry demanded, his face flush with anger.

"How Harry?" Dumbledore asked, his voice taking on a sad tone. "How could I tell you, someone I cared deeply about, that you carried a piece of Voldemort's soul in you, that you had to die to defeat Voldemort." Tears were spilling down the old man's cheeks. "I couldn't bring myself to do it, I told you back in your fifth year that I had fallen into the trap of caring too much for you."

"You lie!" Harry snarled. "Remember, Snape showed me his memories. You told Snape that I had to die at the right moment! '_We have protected him because it has been essential to teach him, to raise him, to let him try his strength_. You were setting me up to die! You never cared about me, I was just a cog in your plans!"

"Harry, wait, please let me explain!" Dumbledore pleaded. "I admit I made plans regarding your life. But you must see it had to have been this way, for the good of the wizarding world. Once Voldemort has been defeated, you will free to live your life as you see fit."

"Oh I will be free that's for sure, but first I need answers and you are going to give them to me," Harry growled. Dumbledore stumbled slightly as he stepped away from Harry. The teenager raised a hand and ropes appeared around Dumbledore, binding him in place. "You are going to tell me everything, or I will utterly destroy you, nothing will be left. Tell me!" Harry roared, his hand gripping the front of Dumbledore's robes and hoisting him up.

Dumbledore nodded. "Very well, I will tell you," he said.

"I want an oath first, you have never given me a straight answer for as long as I've lived," Harry snapped. "I want an oath from you, on the pain of your soul being destroyed for all eternity that you will answer me truthfully and completely! Give it!"

Dumbledore stammered. "But I have no wand."

"Do it without one!" Harry commanded, his hair fluttering madly.

"I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, do swear upon the penalty of my soul being destroyed that I will answer any questions that Harry James Potter asks of me without lie or holding back."

Harry dropped the old man to the ground and glared at him. "Did you know about the Dursleys? You told me that you were 'condemning me to ten dark and difficult years' when you abandoned me there."

Dumbledore winced. "Yes," he admitted.

"Why?"

"I needed you to be weak-willed and moldable," Dumbledore said. "If you were not 'cared' for by the Dursleys, you might not have been willing to listen to my instructions."

"Why did you keep me from Sirius? He was my godfather, you made Hagrid take me from him, why?"

"I couldn't allow Sirius to raise you," Dumbledore whispered. "If he had taken you, he wouldn't have gone after Pettigrew and you would have been raised…"

"Raised by someone who loved me," Harry snarled. "I wouldn't have been so moldable and such, and you couldn't have that, could you? What about my first year, the Sorcerer's Stone, the traps? They were much too easy to stop Voldemort."

"Yes," Dumbledore admitted. "They were changed after Christmas, when you, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger formed your friendship. They were meant to test your strengths, to make you better yourself."

"Test your strengths," Harry repeated. "Neville! You expected him to come with us, that's what the Devil's Snare was for! Each of the traps were tailored for Neville, me, Ron and Hermione!"

"Yes, I did expect Mr. Longbottom to follow you," Dumbledore said. "But you must see that you needed that push…"

"Moving on," Harry cut in. "What about Second Year? The Basilisk, you were at Hogwarts the last time the Chamber was opened! You had to know what was going on, right?"

"I did." Dumbledore lowered his head. "As soon as Miss Weasley entered the wards, I could _feel_ the Diary, though I did not know what it was for. When Mrs. Norris and Mr. Creevey were petrified, that is when I knew it was a Basilisk, I realized that the Diary was a Horcrux and it was possessing a student, as a Parselmouth can only open the Chamber. And you and Tom are the only two to pass through Hogwarts in several centuries."

"Down in the Chamber, did you send Fawkes to help me?" Harry asked, clenching his fists and then releasing them, trying to stem the tidal wave of anger growing inside him.

"Yes, though he was supposed to take me," Dumbledore said with a touch of anger. "I wanted to come to your rescue…"

"So I would look up to you even more," Harry finished as he thought of the magnificent phoenix that had vanished after Dumbledore's funeral. "Third year, you knew that Sirius was innocent but still let Fudge place a Kiss-on-Sight order, and station the Dementors around the school, why?"

"Correct," Dumbledore said. "I could have used my positions to revoke the order, and I was against the Dementors being around the school, but I knew that it would be an opportunity that I couldn't miss."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry demanded.

"I had hoped that the Dementors would do their job and Kiss Sirius before you two could meet," Dumbledore said, flinching sharply at the gaze coming from Harry. "But it also allowed you to grow and strengthen yourself. You are a very strong wizard Harry, producing a Patronus powerful enough to drive off all those Dementors is something even I would not have been able to achieve."

"The Tournament, you used me as bait that year, didn't you? You kept me in it to try and smoke out the person who put my name in," Harry said.

"In a word yes," Dumbledore sighed. "As Supreme Mugwump, I could have declared the Tournament a draw and ended it that night but as you say, I wanted to draw out the spy."

Harry nodded, all the revelations coming from someone who he had trusted were chipping away at the emotional blocks that he had built during his time at the Dursleys. "The Third Task, you knew why Voldemort had taken my blood during the ritual, didn't you? You looked dead smug when I told you that, why?"

"I knew that taking your blood during his rebirth would widen and strengthen the connection between you two," Dumbledore said.

"Now that summer, you didn't put that block on my mail for my protection did you?" Harry asked. "You wanted to keep me alone and away from anyone who cared for me. You could have easily had my _wardens_ hand-deliver those letters to the Dursleys to keep them from being intercepted."

"Correct, but it was vital to the plan," Dumbledore tried to argue but he was cut off again by Harry.

"Umbridge, you knew that she was torturing me, didn't you?" Harry accused. "But you didn't do anything about it because, what, you wanted to toughen me up!"

"Yes, you needed to learn obedience and to not ask questions," Dumbledore said.

"What about last year? All those memories, taking all year long to show me when we could have watched them in one or two nights, why did you spread them out?"

"I couldn't let you learn too much too quickly," Dumbledore admitted. "If you had, you might not have followed your destiny and die at the right time. Your death, at Voldemort's hand, would extend…"

"I don't want to hear your excuses Dumbledore," Harry snarled. "What about my 'guards'? The Order, what about them?"

"The Order was created during the first War to…"

"I don't want a bloody history lesson, I want to know what their orders were concerning me!" Harry demanded.

Dumbledore looked down at the ground, as if to gather his thoughts, and when he raised his head, Harry was disgusted to see tears streaming down his cheeks once more. "The Order has been watching over you since I left you on Privet Drive. They were told to make sure that your development went according to plan, to insure that you were isolated, alone and friendless."

"They did something to the Dursleys, didn't they?" Harry accused. "There is no way that they would have made me sleep in a cupboard on their own."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, sometimes we had to step in and correct the Dursleys," he said. "Other times we had to make sure that they did not go too far."

"And while I was at Hogwarts? What about then?"

"You know several of the Order's members' identities," Dumbledore began. "Those of the staff were in on the plan and went along with it, stepping in when appropriate, to keep you on the correct path."

"McGonagall?" Harry whispered.

"Minerva has known of the plan since I left you on Privet Drive," Dumbledore said. Seeing Harry's thunderous look, he continued, "She didn't want too Harry, none of them did…"

"That doesn't matter!" Harry roared. "They did it anyway! They knew what they were doing was wrong but did it anyway! Was there anyone in my life who cared for me, truly cared for me, not just some pawn?"

"Mr. and Miss Weasley cared about the plan and were willing to follow it to ensure our world's survival," Dumbledore said. "Mr. Longbottom and Miss Granger were not as far-seeing and had to be prompted to keep you in check. Miss Lovegood knew nothing."

"Prompted?" Harry hissed.

"Memory Charms, potions and the Imperius," Dumbledore whispered the final word. A great clap of thunder boomed around the pair at this admission.

"So Ron and Ginny never cared for me, the rest of the Weasleys?"

"Ginerva does care for you Harry," Dumbledore argued. "You and she are perfect matches, much like your parents. From the beginning, she has been told that she would become your wife, the wife of the Boy-Who-Lived. The twins knew nothing, we decided that they were too near-sighted to see the big picture, and you were not close enough to the others for it to matter. Mr. Weasley…"

"Forget about Ron, he was most likely in it for the fame or money," Harry snarled. "He has always been jealous. What about Moony, or Tonks?"

"Ah Remus," Dumbledore said. "Remus does care for you Harry, he truly does but he was under orders to stay away from you until the proper time. We had to make sure that you only had the proper mentors, and both Remus and Nymphadora knew what had to be done."

"So I can only trust Hermione, Neville, Luna and the twins," Harry muttered. "What about this year? What was the point of having Hermione, Ron and I run all over the country looking for those Hallows as well as the Horcruxes?"

"The Deathly Hallows were meant to be your secret weapon," Dumbledore said. "You hold all three Hallows, and as such are the Master of Death. Can you possibly forgive me for not telling you this?"

"Forgive you?" Harry asked, confused. "Forgive you for what?"

"I did not tell you about the Hallows because I…I was tempted by them," Dumbledore said. "I felt invincible while searching for them, knowing that if I found them I could…I did not want you to fall into the same trap that I did."

"But I am their Master now?" Harry asked, looking down at his hands.

"Yes, you are," Dumbledore said. "And a better man I could not hope to find."

"Perfect," Harry hissed, a feral grin appearing on his face.

"Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Goodbye Dumbledore, I doubt that I will be seeing you again," Harry said. "But don't worry, I will fulfill my destiny. I'll kill Voldemort for sure." Dumbledore watched as Harry slowly vanished from sight as the mist clouded over, a very cold shiver racing up his spine.

* * *

Harry finally managed to escape from the throng of hanger-ons and well wishers after the battle had concluded. The bodies of the fallen had been moved from the Great Hall; the Death Eaters corpses were piled in small room off the Great Hall, while the fallen of the defenders were treated with care and placed in another room.

"Harry!"

Harry looked up to see Hermione walking quickly toward him. Harry's heart warmed at the sight of his best, and possibly only, friend. Even bruised, battered, hair grimy, blood welling in a scrap above her eye, Hermione looked magnificent to Harry.

"Hey Hermione, I've been looking all over for you," Harry said, quickly pulling Hermione into a tight, almost desperate hug.

"Harry, what's wrong? Why aren't you in the Great Hall with everyone else?" she asked. Harry's face darkened at the thought of going back to the Great Hall.

"Look Hermione, do you trust me?" he asked.

"Of course I do Harry, you know that," Hermione answered.

"Come with me, there is something I need to show you," Harry said, taking her hand in his. Hermione gave Harry a curious look but allowed him to lead her down the corridor into a small classroom.

"What's going on Harry, something is bothering you," Hermione said. Harry didn't answer, he just placed several security and privacy spells on the closed door. "Harry, you are starting to scare me with this. You're not turning into Mad-Eye are you?"

"No Hermione, I just don't want anyone to interrupt us," Harry said. Closing his eyes, Harry wished he had a Pensive, which would make the process so much easier. A soft pop brought Harry's attention to the desk at the front of the room.

"Is that Dumbledore's Pensive?" Hermione asked.

"I think so," Harry said.

"How did you get it?"

"Not sure but this will make things much easier. Hermione, I have a memory I need you to watch, we can talk once you've watched it," Harry said. He raised the Elder Wand to his temple and drew out the memory and placed it in the Pensive. "Go ahead."

Hermione gave Harry an arched eyebrow look but walked over to the Pensive and placed her face in it. '_Dumbledore said that he used potions, Memory Charms and the Imperius Curse on Hermione and Neville_,' Harry thought. '_What if he did the same to me?_' Harry raised the Elder Wand to his chest. "**Finite Incantatem!**" he whispered.

Harry groaned as he felt repressed and blocked memories begin to reassimilate themselves back into his psyche and memory. '_You old bastard_,' Harry growled as he relived the memories of his and Hermione's dates during their fourth and fifth years, as well as the letters that had snuck through Dumbledore's cordon during the summer after their fourth year. Warmth blossomed in Harry's chest when he remembered that Hermione had not followed Dumbledore's order to not contact him during that summer. Harry also remembered that during the first DA meetings there were several Slytherins in attendance including Daphne and Astoria Greengrass, Tracey Davies and Theodore Nott. The memories had just finished settling when Hermione pulled her head from the Pensive. Harry was not surprised to see Hermione's face twisted in terrible anger.

"How could they do this to us?" she screamed. Harry was quite happy for the privacy and silencing spells that he had placed on the room. "They were our friends! How could they…" Hermione's shouts soon dissolved into sobs. Harry quickly wrapped his arms around Hermione and pulled her into his chest, and quickly his shirt grew damp.

"Harry, what are we going to do? I can't go back in there, face those _people_," Hermione whimpered.

"Well, first things first, I need to make sure that you are free of any spells or enchantments," Harry said, raising the Elder Wand. "I will warn you, when your memories return, it will make you feel really dizzy so you might want to sit down."

Hermione nodded and sat down in a nearby chair. Harry pointed the Elder Wand at Hermione's chest and cast, "**Finite Incantatem!**" Hermione grunted as the spell hit her chest and Harry watched in trepidation as Hermione's eyes rolled up in her head.

"Hermione, Mione?" Harry asked after Hermione had stopped shivering. The young woman's eyes blinked rapidly as she came too. She looked up to see Harry watching her with a great deal of concern.

"Harry?" she whispered.

"Hey there Mione, do you remember?" he asked softly. A wide smile broke out over Hermione's face.

"I do Harry," she answered. "Now get your ass over here!" She grabbed Harry by the collar and pulled him into a searing kiss. Harry quickly brought his arms around Hermione and pulled her to her feet as they kiss frantically and passionately. Soon however, they had to break for air and rested their foreheads against each other.

"Damn, you are still an amazing kisser," Hermione panted, her chest heaving and cheeks flushed red.

"And you are still the most beautiful, wonderful and amazing woman I've ever or will ever know," Harry responded.

"Harry, what are we going to do now?" Hermione asked. "We can't go back out there, you know if _they_ find out, they'll just erase our memories again. I can't believe I kissed Ronald, he tried to jam his tongue down my throat and his breath stunk."

"You know I'm going to have to kick his ass for that," Harry growled, sending a pleasant shiver down Hermione's spine. "But right now I think we need to play it dumb. Like you said, we can't let them know we know. So let's just pretend nothing has changed. I'm sure that they'll try and make me say a speech or something, so let's take advantage of that. You go and round up the others who we know we can trust and tell them to meet us here in half an hour." Hermione nodded and the pair snuck another passion-filled kiss before they left the sanctuary of their hidden room.

"There you two are," Molly cried as Harry and Hermione reentered the Great Hall. "Where have you two been?"

"I needed to get away from everyone Mrs. Weasley," Harry said. "I needed some space to come to grips with everything that has happened. And Hermione, I guess did the same. We ran into each other and walked around for a minute, it's been so long since we've seen the castle."

Molly nodded. "Well Harry, Minister Shacklebolt is looking for you," she said. "And Hermione dear, I know Ronald has been looking for you as well. Now where did that boy get off too?" she asked looking away, causing her to miss Hermione's scowl at the mention of Ron.

"Ah the man of the hour, Mr. Potter," Kingsley shouted jovially as he appeared around Molly. "I was hoping that perhaps you might be willing to stand up and say a few words about what has happened here tonight. Everyone is hoping that you…"

"I guess," Harry said. "I mean I'm not very good with this sort of thing."

"Good man!" Kingsley said, clapping Harry on the shoulder. He steered Harry up to the front of the Great Hall where a platform had been set up. "Up you go Harry!"

Harry made his way up the steps to the platform and turned to face the assembled crowd whom were all scrambling for a good seat. In the midst of the throng, Harry could see Hermione slipping through the crowd toward Neville. Taking a deep breath, Harry began.

"Hello everyone, as many of you probably know, I'm not all that good at speaking in front of people but when Minister Shacklebolt asked me, I couldn't refuse," Harry said. "The first thing I believe that should be done is let us take a moment of silence to honor those who gave their lives in the battle." Harry bowed his head, and the crowd followed suit. "Thank you. I want to say that this victory does not belong just to me; it belongs to all of you. All of you who fought the evil that sought to destroy our world, who risked life and limb to deny Voldemort and his Death Eaters what they thought was rightfully theirs. A wise man once told me, it is our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities. And once again we are all faced with a choice; to do what is easy or what is right. After 1981, you all allowed many of the same villains that you fought today to walk free, all because they claimed to be under the Imperius Curse. This cannot happen again, the Ministry has the chance to truly wipe out the pureblooded bigotry that has plagued this country once and for all. But it is up to all of you to make sure that this becomes a reality. Whether you are muggleborn, a half-blood or a pureblood, it doesn't matter. You all have magic; there is no difference between you. Do not allow our world to be nearly torn apart because of some perceived sense of superiority because of who your ancestors are. You are each your own man, your name means nothing if you do not have the actions to back it up. And remember that next time there might not be a family willing to sacrifice themselves to save you all. Thank you."

Harry stepped down from stage and quickly cast a Disillusionment Charm upon himself to spare himself the rush of well wishers. Making his way through the confused crowd, Harry found Hermione standing right by the doors to the Great Hall.

"Hey, you find everyone?" he whispered. Hermione only nodded. "Good, why don't we go now so we don't miss anyone?" Harry raised the Elder Wand and cast a Disillusionment Charm on Hermione and the unseen pair slipped out of the Great Hall and back to the empty classroom that they had had their earth-shattering conversation.

Thirty minutes later the door to the empty classroom opened and six figures walked in to see Harry and Hermione at the front of the room. Harry was seated behind the desk with Hermione perched on the side of the desk.

"Thank you all for coming," Harry said. "Please have a seat. I am sure that you all have quite a few questions that need to be answered but give me a chance to explain before you bombard us with them. I think I will answer many of them before you even ask them."

"Fine Potter, I'll give you a chance," Theodore Nott sneered as he seated himself at a desk against the far wall of the room, allowing him to have the others in his eye line.

"Thank you," Harry said, eyeing the other two Slytherins that had seated themselves in the middle of the room. Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davies were widely known as the Ice Queens of Slytherin, for their physical beauty and their ice cold rejections toward anyone brave enough to approach the pair. Neville, Susan Bones and Luna Lovegood took up three more desks at the front of the classroom.

"Now I'm sure the first question that you all have is why Hermione and I have asked you here?" The others nodded. "Well, Hermione and I have reason to believe that you all have been subjected to various Memory Charms, compulsions or even potions."

"What!" Theo roared. "There's no way Potter! I have more reason to believe that your…Granger cast something on me just to get me to come here."

"Look Theo, I promise you that neither Hermione nor I have cast any spells upon you or anyone else here," Harry said. "An easy way to figure out if I'm right is to let me cast a **Finite** on you. If nothing happens, then you can leave."

Theo narrowed his eyes at Harry who was sitting very comfortably in his seat, acting as if he was talking with a close friend.

"Um Harry, Hermione, where are Ron and Ginny? Shouldn't they be here too?" Neville asked. Hermione and Harry frowned darkly at the mention of the two Weasleys.

"All will be reveled in time," Hermione answered cryptically. "Now Theo can Harry get started?"

"Fine but I still don't see what you are both going on about, nothing is going to…" Theo's voice faltered as Harry cast a **Finite** on him with the Elder Wand. Theo groaned as his mind was assaulted with several new memories that assimilated themselves back into his head. "That goat buggering bastard," Theo snarled.

"I assume that you now believe us Theo," Harry said.

"Dumbledore should be glad he's dead or I would be itching to curse him to oblivion and back," Theo growled. "Harry, Hermione, why?"

"Don't worry, once everyone is back to normal we'll explain everything," Harry said. "So who's next?"

It took another ten minutes before everyone had gained his or her memories back.

"Why Harry? Why would Dumbledore, Ron and Ginny do this?" Neville asked.

"We are not really sure," Hermione answered. "All we can surmise is that Dumbledore wanted to make sure that Harry would always look up to him as a mentor. He also wanted Harry to marry someone totally unsuited for him in Ginny, I mean she is such a fan-girl."

Harry chuckled at Hermione's frank and spot-on description of the youngest Weasley. "And the fact that she looks just like my sister might," he said. "I mean everyone says that I look just like my dad with my mum's eyes, well Ginny looks like my mum with my dad's eyes." The group shivered at the thought of Harry marrying someone who looked exactly like his sister, if he had one.

"So what now Potter?" Daphne asked.

"Well Daphne, I'm not sure," Harry admitted. "But what I do know is that I think it's time I embraced my Slytherin side. I can't let the Weasleys and the rest get away with this but I know that no one will believe us if we just start accusing everyone. The wizarding world is full of sheep, and even if we give evidence, they won't believe that the great Dumbledore would ever stoop to such levels. We'd be accused of being troublemakers and laughed out of the Ministry."

"So what then?" Tracey asked, speaking for the first time since entering the room.

"We wait and bide our time," Hermione said. "We all know that the British magical world was falling apart in the years leading up to Voldemort's rise, and nothing really has been done to fix the problem. Soon the muggle world will find out about the magical world whether the magical world wants to or not. The world is growing too small to hide such a community, and if the magical world is just unveiled it won't end well and we could see a war that would devastate the entire planet."

"So what do we do then? We don't want that to happen but what can we do?"

"We need to start small and work our way into positions of power," Hermione said. "Hogwarts will be the key, if we can influence the next generation, that will make our job a lot easier."

"Neville, didn't you say you wanted to continue with Herbology?" Harry asked. The young man nodded. "Well maybe you can get an apprenticeship under Sprout and become the next Herbology Professor."

"I've wanted to be a Potions Mistress," Tracey spoke up. "Maybe I can do the same under Slughorn, though he's even slimier than Snape."

"My mother can teach you," Daphne said. "She went to Beauxbatons and got her Mastery on the continent. She has always complained about bad of a teacher Snape was, and Slughorn is only a little bit better."

"I think that if we can get several teachers on staff here it will really make things much easier," Harry said.

"What are you going to do Harry?" Luna asked. "Hermione?"

"I think its time that I get to see the world," Harry said. "But first, I need to see if I have any money left in Gringotts."

"Oh that's right," Hermione blushed. "We should go see the goblins, I don't think they'll be very happy to see us."

"Offer to pay for all the damages and explain what happened," Daphne said. "My father works closely with Gringotts due to his business dealings and he has told my sister and I that you need to treat the Goblins like goblins. They are not human and don't have the same morals as humans. They respect honor, power and strength more than anything. Don't show weakness but admit your mistakes. Also show them that you are still worth their time in dealing with you."

Harry nodded. "Thanks for the advice Daphne," he said. "Maybe you should take over the History of Magic class from Binns, I learned a lot more about goblins in those thirty seconds than all five years with that bloody ghost." Daphne gave Harry a wan smile and a nod.

"I think that we should get moving," Hermione said. "We've been hiding here long enough, everyone will be looking for us."

"Good luck you two," Luna said as the group left the classroom.

"You all as well, we'll stay in touch," Hermione said. Harry placed another pair of Disillusionment Charms on himself and Hermione. And it was a good thing too as just as the door closed, two familiar and unwelcome figures came around the corner.

"Neville, Luna! There you are," Ginny cried as she and Ron jogged over to their two friends. Neville and Luna fought to keep the looks of disgust and anger off their faces after hearing and seeing what the two youngest Weasleys had done or planned to do to Harry and Hermione.

"Where are Harry and Hermione? Have you two seen them?" Ron asked.

Luna shook her head. "No Ronald, Ginerva, we haven't seen Harry or Hermione since Harry gave that illuminating speech earlier."

"What was Harry thinking, calling out what our parents did after he defeated You-Know-Who," Ron said with a scowl. "He couldn't have known what our parents had gone through. I know that he's now the Man-Who-Won but that doesn't mean he can think he's the next Merlin. We're going to need to make sure all this fame doesn't go to his head and he becomes just like Malfoy."

"I don't think that Harry would ever become anything like Malfoy," Neville said. "Hermione would smack his head off if he ever came close."

"Keeping Harry on the correct path is my job not Hermione's," Ginny said sharply. "He's my boyfriend not Hermione's."

"Didn't Harry break up with you at Dumbledore's funeral though Ginny?" Neville asked. Ginny just waved her hand airily.

"He just wanted to protect me by doing that," she explained. "Now that Voldemort has been defeated, he'll come back and realize that he was wrong to push me away." Neville and Luna looked at the youngest Weasley with pitying eyes but the two redheads were oblivious to their looks. "So have you seen Harry or Hermione then?"

"We told you, we haven't seen either of them since the end of the battle," Neville said with an exasperated tone.

* * *

"Well, here goes nothing," Harry said heavily as he walked up the still ruined steps of Gringotts bank. Hermione was right next to him, holding his hand tightly.

"Human, you have quite a lot of nerve coming back here," a goblin snarled as Harry and Hermione entered the bank. "After what you and your mate had done to our bank."

"Yes good sir," Harry said. "And we have come to apologize for what happened to your bank. I ask to speak to your Director please, I hope to come to an agreeable solution between both parties."

The goblin didn't look like he wanted to talk, more like run Harry and Hermione through with his spear. "Very well," the goblin growled. "Wait here, and if either of you were to make a move toward your wands, we will run you through the gizzards."

"We understand," Hermione said.

After a few moments the goblin guard returned leading a regal looking goblin with a golden breastplate and gleaming armor.

"Ragnok of the Iron Fist," the goblin announced. "Director of Gringotts and leader of the Great Goblin Horde, you would be wise to show him your respect."

"Of course," Harry said, bowing to the regal looking goblin. Hermione followed Harry's example. "Warlord Ragnok, we come before you to apologize for the damages that we caused two days ago during our escape. We wish to make amends and to inform you why such drastic measures were needed."

Ragnok looked down at the two young teens. "We shall adjourn to my office and speak."

"Warlord!" the goblin exclaimed.

"Silence! This wizard has come to us begging for forgiveness," Ragnok growled. "I for one wish to see how far this one will grovel."

Harry and Hermione grit their teeth at the deep, guttural laughter coming from the goblins. The duo was led off the main hall of the bank and to a very ornate office. There were three seats in front of a very large desk.

"It seems that you were expecting us?" Harry asked.

Ragnok gave Harry a tight-lipped grin as he sat behind his desk. "I have heard many things about you Harry Potter and I wished to see what of those things might be true," the goblin warlord said. "Now then, you said that you had a reason for breaking into my bank."

"Yes Warlord," Harry said. "I don't know if you have heard but Voldemort has been defeated."

"By you?"

"I did strike the final blow but I did not defeat him alone," Harry said. "I had help from my friends and allies. However, what you might not have heard is that Voldemort created several safe guards against death in the use of Horcruxes. And he hid one of those foul things here in your bank, in the Lestranges' vault."

"He did WHAT!" Ragnok roared. "He hid one of those foul things in MY bank!"

"Yes Warlord," Hermione said. "That was what we broke into your bank. We had planned to take that one item and slip away. But your safeguards were too much; we had to use your guard dragon to escape. If we had not, then Voldemort would have survived and after destroying Hogwarts would have most likely marched on Gringotts."

"Perhaps but do you really think so little of the goblins of Gringotts," Ragnok sneered. "Many so-called Dark Lords have attempted to take this bank and all have failed, he would have done the same."

"Sir, while there can be no question of the goblins' success in war but Voldemort was nothing like previous Dark Lords," Harry said. "Without the destruction of his Horcruxes, he would have just kept coming back, and in time he would have rallied enough troops to complete his goal."

"Perhaps," Ragnok said. "While I must commend you and your friends' bravery for breaking into my bank and getting as far as you did but the issue still stands, you broke into my bank and for that you must pay."

"I am willing to pay for any damages that our folly caused but I hope that you understood that we could not allow Voldemort's Horcrux to stay undestroyed," Harry said. "Surely you can understand why we had to do what we did."

"I can see where you are coming from Mr. Potter," Ragnok said. "You do realize that you are now at my mercy. No one has ever broken into Gringotts before…"

"Pardon my interruption Warlord," Hermione said. "But that is not actually true, just before we started at Hogwarts, someone managed to infiltrate Gringotts. In fact it was one of Voldemort's own supporters who did so."

"Ah yes," Ragnok sighed. "While that is true, the vault that the intruder was seeking to enter had been emptied and so the protections were much less stringent than normal. The vault that you broke into had some of the strongest protections we employ."

Harry nodded. "I understand that, however the owners of that particular vault are now all dead, and as the defeater of their Lord and Master, I know control its contents," Harry said, feeling very happy that he now remembered the books that Sirius had given him on British pureblood politics during fifth year. "And I am sure that there are several items that the Goblins would love to regain possession of. I have plenty of money, and have no need for more, so if it is agreeable to you, I will hand over all the contents of the Lestrange vault to the Goblin Nation as recompense for our folly."

Ragnok raised a thin eyebrow at Harry's 'gift'. "Someone has taught you quite well. You are quite correct in that the Lestrange vault holds several goblin-made items that you wizards have kept from their rightful makers for generations," the regal goblin's voice grew harsher and harsher as he spoke. "I do believe that the contents of the Lestrange vault should cover the damages you have caused but there is one more thing that we must discuss."

"Yes?" Harry asked.

"Your theft of Ragnuk the First's masterwork!" Ragnok roared, slamming his fist down onto his desk.

"What?" Harry and Hermione asked, perplexed.

"The so-called Sword of Godric Gryffindor, it was made by Ragnuk the First, our finest sword smith and it should be returned back to the Goblin Nation!"

"But we didn't take it!" Hermione argued. "Griphook stole it from us during our escape."

"Wait, it appeared in the Sorting Hat during the battle," Harry exclaimed. "Remember, Neville used it to kill Nagini. How could it have come out of the Sorting Hat if it rightful belonged to the Goblin Nation?" Harry asked sharply.

Ragnok blinked at Harry's question. "I was not informed that the sword had been summoned by the Sorting Hat," the goblin said. "I was told that you three stole it back from Griphook."

"No Warlord," Harry said. "I don't hesitate to say that I do not understand a goblin's claim to ownership of goblin-made items that were sold to wizards but during my second year, the Sorting Hat held the sword so it stands to reason that it belongs at Hogwarts since the Sorting Hat is a part of Hogwarts as well."

Ragnok looked deeply into Harry's eyes, as if measuring his words. It felt much like Dumbledore's stare, though without the twinkle and subtle Legilimency probe. "You are telling the truth, or at least how you perceive the truth to be," Ragnok said. "Very well, I shall allow the sword to remain in the hands of Hogwarts for now. But be warned it is only because I believe that this Sorting Hat would not relinquish its hold on the sword easily that I am allowing this."

"Thank you for your generosity Warlord Ragnok," Harry said. "It will not be forgotten I promise you."

"I shall hold you to that promise," Ragnok said imperiously. "Now is there any other business that you wish to conduct?"

**A/N: Welcome to my new story, _Two Sides,_ it will span the aftermath of the Battle of Hogwarts, totally ignoring the 'tacked-on' epilogue, and the years after. I was reading the '_Birth of a Dark Lord_' one-shot by Seel'vor, and this little idea took root in my head. I wanted to write a story detailing the aftermath of the Battle of Hogwarts and how the magical world should have changed in the years following the end of the Second Blood War. Another story that this one takes heart from is '_Rise of the Wizards_' a brilliant manipulativeDarkHarry story by Teufel1987 that has just been completed. In this story, Dumbledore is how I see his actions throughout the series, cruel, manipulative and 'ends justify the means'. There will be bashing of several major characters throughout this story due to flaws in their characters that have been pointed out by hundreds of other authors. Hope you all enjoyed reading this starting point, and please let me know what you all think by leaving a review. My next post will be the epilogue of '_Rise from the Ashes_', hopefully up by next week. Until next time,**

**S.R.W.M.O**

**P.S: The image for story is that of a poster I ****found online that I think perfectly mirrors what my story will be about, if I'm not allowed to use that image, please tell me and I will take it down. I don't want to get in trouble for copyright.**


	2. Return to the Homeland

**Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is NOT mine! I own NONE of JK Rowling's masterwork of a creation, and am making no money off this. Just having some fun in JK Rowling's sandbox. Enjoy!**

It had been five years since the end of the Second Blood War, and the final defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort. For the magical community of Britain, the transition from war torn nation to one of peace had been slow going. Without the guiding light of Albus Dumbledore, the magical world of Britain had to find a new leader to turn too, however the one that they would have had vanished as well. Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the Chosen One, and the Man-Who-Won had disappeared the day after the final battle; also vanishing with him was Hermione Granger, his constant companion and the young woman who was considered the smartest witch of the age. The duo had vanished off the face of the planet and all attempts to contact or find them had gone for naught. The other member of the Golden Trio, Ronald Weasley, did not know where the other two had gone too.

As the shock passed of their hero seemingly abandoning them, the British magical world followed their previous path and began to call Harry a coward for running away from his responsibility. He was their hero, he was supposed to lead them into the future but he just ran away. It did not help that Harry's best friend, Ronald Weasley, began espousing on the fact that Harry had just run off, leaving his best friend and his girlfriend high and dry. Ginny Weasley had accused Hermione Granger for stealing Harry away from her, using the fact that the pair had run off together. Ginny had told the magical world that Hermione had always been jealous of her relationship with Harry, ignoring the fact that Ginny and Harry had only been 'dating' for less than three months. The _Daily Prophet_ jumped on the 'scandal', decrying Hermione as a heartless muggleborn in stealing Harry Potter away from his true love, the lovely pureblood Ginny Weasley.

The Ministry, led by Kingsley Shacklebolt as Minister for Magic, had attempted to make a move against the Potter family holdings in Gringotts, saying that Harry owed the Weasleys money for caring for Harry during the summers between Hogwarts. The Malfoys, using the Ministry's acceptance of the Weasleys' claim, attempted to move against the Black family's holding. Narcissa and Lucius, who had been pardoned by the Ministry following the final defeat of Voldemort, reasoned that Draco through Narcissa had a claim to the Black fortune and title. Gringotts didn't agree though, they said that the previous Lord Black, Sirius Orion Black, had named Harry Potter his heir, also Harry had a blood claim to the title as his grandmother was Dorea Elizabeth Black. The Malfoys argued that Sirius couldn't have been Lord Black as he was in Azkaban for over a decade. However they forgot one crucial fact, Sirius had never been convicted of a crime, being held illegally in Azkaban and thus had not been ruled ineligible for holding the title. The Malfoys were furious but knew that what the goblins had said was true. However, since Draco was the only male with Black blood, he was allowed to take the Black seat in the Wizengamont.

The Weasleys were a little more fortunate in their dealings with the goblins. Sirius had given the Weasley family a small fortune in his will, in thanks for looking after Harry while he was stuck in Azkaban. However, Ron's share was taken away from him as recompense for breaking into Gringotts. Ron, furious with his loss of money, blamed Harry, saying it was Harry's idea and that he should have to pay for it. The goblins told Ron that Harry had repaid the goblins for the damages, leaving out the fact that Harry had also paid for Hermione's share. When word got out that about the incident, it garnered even more bad press against Harry for seemingly not taking care of his debts.

"I now call this meeting of the Wizengamont to order!" Tiberius Ogden shouted, firmly knocking his gavel against his desk. "Now before we begin with our regularly scheduled meeting, does anyone have any business that they wish to bring forward?"

"I do," a strong voice called out from the doors. Two figures had just entered the chamber and were making their way down to the chamber floor; both figures wore dark cloaks with the hoods up obscuring their faces.

"And you are?" Ogden asked, looking down at the newcomers. The taller of the two figures raised a hand and lowered the hood to revel a shock of midnight black hair with emerald green eyes gleaming behind a pair of wire-rimmed glasses. His companion also lowered their hood to revel another very familiar face.

"Harry Potter! Hermione Granger!" many voices cried out.

"So, you have returned then?" Ogden asked. "What business do you wish to bring before us?"

"We have come to claim the seats that we are entitled too," Hermione spoke up. More mutterings came all around the chamber at this declaration.

"Seats?" a voice asked from the gallery. "Potter can only hold one seat, his own family's."

"Normally you would be correct but there is another seat that I can claim instead of the Potter seat," Harry said. "I have come to claim the seat of my godfather's family, I have come to claim the House of Black seat!"

This announcement stunned the chamber.

"That is impossible!" Draco Malfoy shouted from his seat in the gallery. "I am the holder of the Black seat, you can not hold it. You are just a half-blood, the holder of the seat of Black must be a pureblood!"

"That is not completely accurate," Harry said, giving his school-rival a bored stare. "The bylaws of the House of Black states that the holder of its seat must meet at least two requirements: they must be the product of two magical parents and have Black blood in them, and be in line to inherit. I meet all three requirements in fact. Both of my parents were magical, even if my mother was the first of her family, my great-grandmother was of Black and the previous Lord Black was my godfather and he named me his heir. So Malfoy, I thank you for your time keeping the seat warm but your services are no longer required."

"You can not do this!" Malfoy screamed. "I will not yield to a pathetic half-blood like you Potter!"

"So unwise Malfoy, I had hoped that you would utilize the decorum and poise that a pureblood such as yourself is supposed to be known for but alas, I was wrong," Harry sighed. He raised his hand and a glittering ring showed on his ring finger. It was the Head of House ring for the House of Black. "Please remove yourself from my seat before you embarrass yourself even further."

Malfoy's face flushed pink but rose from the chair and made his way to where his mother and father were sitting.

"What about the Potter seat, surely you are not going to leave that seat vacant?" Ogden asking the question that most of gallery was thinking of.

"I will be taking the seat in my husband's stead," Hermione said.

Now that was a bomb that Hermione had just dropped onto the British magical world. Bedlam ensued in the Wizengamont chamber.

"Order, Order!" Ogden shouted, pounding his gavel on his desk. It took several minutes before order was restored to the chamber. Ogden had to call in several Aurors to subdue the chamber with the use of Silencing Charms. "Now then, what proof do you give to say you are worthy of holding the House of Potter's seat in this hallowed chamber."

Hermione just raised her hand to show the Lady Potter ring, signifying her right to the seat. "As you are all aware of, the House of Potter does not discriminate between the sexes in who may sit for the House of Potter. As long as the seat holder is magical, they may be either man or woman. And as the rightful Lady Potter, I am exercising that right."

"Very well," Ogden said knowing that Hermione was correct. "Let it be known that two of our most distinguished seats have been reclaimed, one that has been without guidance for over twenty years. Lord Potter-Black, Lady Potter, if you would take your rightful seats we may begin."

Harry and Hermione nodded to the Chief Warlock and then ascended the stairs to their seats, ignoring the glares and confused looks coming their way from the rest of the Wizengamont. The rest of the meeting went by with agonizing slowness for Harry and Hermione, as the meeting was all about taxation and several laws that were on the ballot. Three hours later, Ogden called the meeting to an end.

"We shall reconvene in one month's time, until then," Ogden said, closing the session with a sharp crack of his gavel.

Harry and Hermione were one of the first ones out of the Wizengamont's chambers, as they wanted to make their escape as quickly as possible in order to avoid being hounded by questions or demands for information. But they weren't quick enough.

"Harry! Hermione!" a voice that the couple had not heard in five years echoed down the corridor that the Potter couple was walking through. They turned to see two red haired figures storming toward them.

"Mr. Weasley, Ms. Weasley, what can we do for you?" Harry asked formally.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you Potter?" Ron shouted, his loud voice carrying all the way down the corridor. His sister's face was twisted in a scowl as she glared at Hermione. "Running away like that, after all we did together! And without even leaving word with us! Do you know what we went through?"

"What do you want me to say Mr. Weasley?" Harry asked. "We left because I knew that after defeating Voldemort," Ron and Ginny flinched at the name, "I would be hounded and never get a moment's peace. I wanted no needed to get away."

"And you Hermione? Why did you leave?" Ron demanded, his face now mirroring his sister's. "I thought that you were my girlfriend and then you run off with another guy."

"We were never a couple Mr. Weasley," Hermione said sharply. "It was one kiss given in the heat of the moment, after you had finally said something responsible and unselfish. Any feelings I had for you were dashed when you abandoned us during our seventh year because you were hungry, bored and annoyed that we weren't making as much progress as you would have liked."

"It was the locket, it was messing with my head," Ron argued. "I wanted to come back as soon as I left, it wasn't my fault!"

"Don't make excuses Mr. Weasley," Harry snapped. "We were all affected by the locket and yet you were the only one who ran away." Ron's face turned bright red and he glared at Harry, while ignoring the looks coming from the crowd that had gathered around the quartet.

"What about me Harry?" Ginny asked innocently. "I waited for you to return to me. You were my boyfriend and you left me twice."

"Ms. Weasley, I broke up with you after my sixth year and we never got back together," Harry pointed out.

"But I was waiting for you to return," Ginny pleaded. "You only broke up with me at Dumbledore's funeral because you cared for me and wanted to make sure I was safe."

"That might have been true," Harry admitted. "But if you had truly cared for me, you wouldn't have accepted it so easily."

"I did not accept it!" Ginny shouted. "I loved you, I was waiting for you to return, I knew that you would win and then we could be together!"

"You never loved me, you only loved the Boy-Who-Lived."

"That's not true!"

"What was it you said at Dumbledore's funeral, '_I knew you wouldn't be happy unless you were hunting Voldemort. Maybe that's why I like you so much_.' Do you really think so little of me?" Harry growled, anger slipping into his voice for the first time. "Why in the world would you think that I wanted to hunt Voldemort?"

"That's who you are!" Ginny screamed, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "You are the hero, my hero. You had to kill V. ," she stammered. "It was your destiny and then you were supposed to come back to me and…"

"And what, become an Auror and a figurehead for the Ministry?" Harry asked. "I never wanted Voldemort to come after me, he killed my parents and while I might have wanted revenge, I sure as hell didn't want to go hunting him!"

"Come on Harry, let's get out of here before you do something you regret," Hermione said, placing a hand on Harry's arm to calm her husband down.

"What the hell is that!" Ron shouted. The hand that Hermione had placed on Harry's arm was her left hand. "What is that ring?"

"That is my wedding ring Mr. Weasley," Hermione snapped.

"Wedding ring, who are you married too?" Ginny asked quietly, though there was a trace of venom in her tone.

"To me," Harry answered. "Hermione and I are married, we have been for just under a year now."

"What!" the two Weasley siblings shouted, causing Harry and Hermione to wince as the loud cries assaulted their ears.

"How could you do this to me Harry?" Ginny whined. "We were supposed to get back together and then get married!"

"You stole Hermione from me you bastard!" Ron roared, raising his fist. But both Weasleys froze as Harry's wand shot out of its holster and he hit them both with a silent **Body-Bind Curse**.

"Look you two, we are sorry that you had to find out this way," Harry lied through his teeth. "But it is too late. Ginny, why would I want to marry someone who looked like what any sister of mine might have looked like? You have my mum's hair and my dad's eyes, while some family's like to keep it in the family, mine does not."

"And you Ronald," Hermione hissed. "Harry never stole me away from you, I was never yours to begin with. One sloppy kiss does not make a relationship. During our Hogwarts years, you always made fun of me, mocking my want to study or my intelligence, calling me mental, or mocking my beliefs. Never once did you show me any true measure of kindness. In fact, if it hadn't been for your big mouth, I would have never been in that bathroom with that troll all those years ago."

"I saved your life from that troll!" Ron countered. "If anything, you should be bowing at my…"

A **Silencing Charm** probably saved Ron from never being able to pass on the Weasley genes, which might have been a good thing in Harry's eyes.

"In case you forgot Ronald Weasley, but you were the reason I was in danger in the first place," Hermione snarled. "And Harry had to drag you along to come find me. If you were thinking of claiming a Life Debt, you can't put someone in danger then save them from that danger, so you are shit out of luck."

"Also Ginny, don't forget that you owe me a Life Debt for saving you down in the Chamber," Harry added when he spotted Ginny gaining a calculating look in her eye. "So if you even think of trying something, I won't hesitate to call it in."

Ginny's face paled at the thought of Harry calling in such a debt. If he wanted to, Harry could make her less than a House Elf, nothing more than property of the Potter family until the end of her days.

"I am going to release you two now, I suggest that you go home and think about what it is you want in life because things are going to change around here and you don't want to get swept up in it," Harry said before giving his wand a flick. The two spells holding the two Weasleys in place dispersed and movement came back to their bodies. "Come on Hermione, let's get out of here," Harry said. The Potter couple spun around and looped arms, walking down the corridor as the crowd parted before them with ease. Ron and Ginny stood in the same spot that they had been released too, watching the pair walk away.

* * *

"Man that was difficult," Harry groaned as he and Hermione entered the sitting room of Grimmauld Place. It looked nothing like the decrepit and ransacked old townhouse that the duo had spent their summer between fourth and fifth year as well as several weeks in what would have been their seventh year.

"Master Harry and Mistress Hermione are back!" a squeaky voice cried out.

"Hello Winky, how are you?" Harry asked.

"Winky is well Master Harry, shall I bring you and Mistress Hermione some tea?"

"That would be lovely Winky," Hermione said with a smile. Hermione had loosened up regarding House Elves ever since Dobby had rescued them from Malfoy Manor during the War. She learned that House Elves needed to be bound to a family, as they derive their magic from the ambient magic surrounding the family they serve. The Elves at Hogwarts managed to survive because of the amount of ambient magic that the castle, the students and the Forbidden Forest provided them. Harry and Hermione had found Winky a week after the Battle of Hogwarts looking distraught and extremely weak. They found out that since Hogwarts had been closed due to the damage the castle suffered in the battle, and Winky was suffering from acute magical exhaustion, which if left unchecked could prove fatal to a House Elf. So Harry had taken Winky into service, and almost immediately Winky had begun to look better.

Winky reappeared a moment later with a platter laden with several cups of tea and snacks. She placed the platter on the side table.

"Thank you Winky, would you care to join us?" Hermione asked.

"No, no Mistress Hermione, Winky has other things to be doing," Winky said before vanishing with a pop. Harry chuckled at Winky's refusal to sit and eat with Hermione and himself, no matter how many times they had asked her too.

"So how long until everyone knows that we're back do you think?" Harry asked as he and Hermione sipped their tea.

"They probably already know, judging from the crowd that gathered around us when we were talking with the Weasleys," Hermione said. "We will need to get out in front of this. Even though quite a few of people heard and saw our argument with the Weasleys, the story will get twisted. Add in the fact that we ousted the Malfoys from the Black seat, I would be surprised if we don't have reporters and well-wishers knocking on our door tonight."

Hermione's prediction was nearly spot on as just then the wards chimed signaling an owl approaching the house. Harry gave his consent and the owl flew in through an open window. It was tawny owl that neither Harry nor Hermione recognized.

"So who do you belong too?" Harry asked as he withdrew the letter that was attached to the owl's leg. Harry unfurled it. "It's from Neville."

_Dear Harry and Hermione,_

_ You two made quite a splash today at the Wizengamont meeting, well done. You must know that the whole world now knows that the Harry Potter and Hermione Granger have returned, and that they are married. Nice job with the Malfoys too, they've been a pain in our asses ever since they managed to get pardoned after the battle. I don't know if you heard but since they _defected_ from Voldemort and, as they claim, allowed you to strike him down, they were given pretty much a free pass._

_ Of course now that you two are back, the whole place has been a frenzy of craziness. Everyone is scrambling around trying to figure out how they will make allies of you or at least not enemies. They know that you two are now the most potent and hottest political _unclaimed_ assets around. With your two seats, you could turn the tide in any vote._

_ The others would love to meet and catch up with you. The DA wants to schedule a reunion and discuss where to go from here. Let me know when you two are able to meet._

_ Til then,_

_ Neville Longbottom_

"It looks like we're going to have a party soon," Harry said. Hermione nodded.

"It will be good to see everyone again," she added. "So what will be our first move then?"

"We will need to meet with everyone first," Harry answered. "We need more information about the current climate before we do anything else."

"You know that if word gets out about the DA reconvening, Weasley is going to hear about it and demand to be let in," Hermione pointed out.

"I know, and that's what I'm counting on," Harry said. "We will invite the _entire_ DA and we'll see how the Weasleys react." Hermione gave her husband a wicked grin.

* * *

It had been two days since Harry and Hermione's triumphant return to Britain. The _Daily Prophet_ had run a series of stories chronicling what the pair had been up to since their disappearance, of course none of it being true. The best selling of the stories was the one about the couples' marriage. The _Prophet_ had dug up Rita Skeeter's old story from Harry and Hermione's fourth year and had run with it. Of course when word reached Devon and a certain ramshackle house of Harry and Hermione's marriage, it didn't sit well with the matriarch of the Weasley clan. And she had made her presence known to the Potter couple the next day.

"How could you do this to my children?" Molly screeched as she cornered Harry and Hermione in the middle of Diagon Alley. "You broke my children's hearts, how could you be so cruel?"

"Mrs. Weasley, neither Harry nor I were dating your children at the time of our leaving," Hermione said. "Harry had broken up with Ginny the previous year at Dumbledore's funeral, and Ron and I were never dating regardless of what anyone has told you."

"But Dumbledore…"

"Dumbledore what?" Harry asked, even though he already knew the answer. "What did Albus Dumbledore do?"

"Harry dear," Molly began, her tone once more a crude attempt at motherly. "What about the contracts?"

"What contracts?" Hermione growled, her eyes narrowing at the dumpy woman.

"Why, the marriage contracts between you and Ronald, Hermione," Molly said, as if she was talking to a young child. "And the one between Harry and Ginny."

"Marriage contracts?" Harry hissed, his eyes gaining a glow that sent chills down Molly's spine.

"Yes dear," Molly continued, showing that while she was domineering and controlling, the Weasley matriarch did have some courage. "Albus wrote them up when you and Ginny began dating, and when Ronald told us that you, Hermione, and he…"

"Let me stop you right there Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said, holding up a hand. "As I said, Ronald and I have never dated no matter what anyone says."

"Also, I know for a fact that if those contracts were valid, then Hermione and I would not have been able to get married," Harry said. "I read up on all types of contracts after being forced into the Triwizard Tournament. The magic involved in them would have barred us from getting married. So those contracts are more worthless than the parchment that they were written on."

Molly's face fell at this statement struck home.

"Add in that my parents' Will said that I could not be entered into a marriage contract with anyone unless my guardian and myself gave permission," Harry said. "There was also a clause that stated that I would need to be tested for any controlling magic or potions to insure that I was in my right mind. I know for a fact that Sirius would never have placed me in a contract with anyone."

"But Dumbledore…"

"Dumbledore was never my magical guardian, no matter what he might have thought or told anyone," Harry interrupted. "My parents named Sirius as my godfather and magical guardian. Before you say anything about him being in Azkaban disqualifying him, you know Mrs. Weasley that Sirius was placed in Azkaban without a trial and was never convicted of a crime, so magic still considered him my guardian."

Molly then turned toward Hermione, knowing that as a muggleborn, her magical guardian had been Dumbledore.

"Stop right there Mrs. Weasley," Hermione spoke up. "You might be thinking that because I am muggleborn, and since Dumbledore was my magical guardian that the contract that he wrote up between me and your son is still valid. But you are wrong, as my husband said; if it had been valid then we would not have been able to get married last year. So those contracts you have are worthless."

"So please Mrs. Weasley, leave us alone," Harry said. "We have nothing more to talk about with you."

"Don't you dare talk to me like that young man!" Mrs. Weasley snapped, swelling up with indignation.

"Mrs. Weasley," Harry barked, his voice heavy with command, which Molly complied with. "Out of the respect that I still have for you and your family, I will not smack you down as I am allowed too. But heed my words well, you do not wish to make an enemy of the House of Potter and Black. You and your family took me in, and I will be grateful for that but neither you nor Albus Dumbledore have any say on who I wish to spend the rest of my life with. I am married and will not allow anyone to come between my wife and I."

* * *

The day after the Potters' confrontation with the Weasley matriarch the Potters invited the surviving DA members to Grimmauld Place for a reunion party. As the manor house that once held one of the Darkest families in British magical history filled up with the resistance veterans that had brought about the downfall of the Dark Lord that the majority of that House had supported, Harry had to fight to hold back a smirk at the irony of the situation. If Mrs. Black's portrait were still hanging on the wall, she would be screaming her head off at the hodgepodge of witches and wizards now in her house, a mixture of blood statuses.

"Thank you all for coming," Harry said. "It is great to see you all once more. As you all have heard, Hermione and I are happily married for nearly a year now." Cheers filled the room.

"Thank you, thank you all," Hermione said as a blush colored her and Harry's cheeks. "We do want to apologize for leaving you all five years ago but we both needed to get away from Britain for a while. Harry knew that he would have been hounded relentlessly, and never given a moments peace. Everyone would try and pull Harry in too many directions and would not let him heal. And I needed to find my parents, if you did not know, I wiped my parents' memories and sent them abroad for their safety."

The majority of the DA did not know the lengths that Hermione had gone too to ensure her family's safety, and their respect and admiration for her rose to even higher heights.

"So now that you are back, what do you plan to do?" Dennis Creevey asked.

"At the moment we are not sure," Harry answered. "We have only just returned to Britain and are focusing more on finding out the climate of Britain than finding a job. You have all heard that I have taken up the Black seat in the Wizengamont and Hermione holds the Potter seat and we hope that we can use these votes to help shape our world into a brighter future."

"Where were you all these years?" Angelina Johnson asked.

Harry and Hermione looked at one another, each wanting to know how much to divulge to the group. Without words, their conversation was short and easily read to each other.

"I'm not sure how much you all know about my childhood but it wasn't the best," Harry admitted. Over the years following the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry had come to grips with the abuse, mental and physical, that he had suffered at the hands of his relatives. He never wanted anything to do with them ever again, they were his past and Hermione was his future. His wife however was not so willing to leave bygone be bygones. Once she had wrung all the information about the Dursleys from Harry, Hermione was ready and willing to strip the family to the bone and dip them in salt and lemon. She wanted to make the Dursleys paid for their sins against Harry but she conceded to Harry's wishes that they just put the Dursleys in the rearview mirror and forget all about them. Of course, if she ever came across any of the Dursleys, she would make her displeasure known.

"I never got to see any part of the world outside of Little Whinging, Diagon Alley, some of London, Hogsmeade and Hogwarts," Harry said. "And I knew that I would never be able to just be Harry here in Britain, so when Hermione asked me to accompany her to find her parents, it was the perfect opportunity to get away and find myself."

"After we arrived in Australia, it took several weeks to locate my parents and then to work up the nerve to approach them," Hermione admitted. "I was terrified that I wouldn't find a way to reverse the charms, or that if I did, my parents would not be the same after what I made them do." Hermione's voice grew smaller and smaller as her story spilled from her lips.

"We were lucky," Harry said. "Hermione's spell work was brilliant and we were able to restore the Grangers' memories. It was pretty tense for a while, as the Grangers were very disappointed that their daughter had done what she did. They knew, logically, that Hermione had done the right thing to insure their safety but they still didn't like it. It was nearly another two months before the tension dissipated enough for the healing process to begin."

"Where are your parents then?" Ron asked.

"My parents had built a new life in Australia and had really grown to love their life down under," Hermione said. "So they are living there at the moment."

"Well that's only, what five or six months after the battle, what about the other four and a half years?" Ginny asked.

"After getting to know the Grangers, we decided to travel, to see the world," Harry said. "Just being two teenagers, away from all the responsibilities that we knew were waiting for us back here. We traveled around the entire world, seeing the sights and learning all about magic."

"Figures that Hermione would drag Harry on trips to libraries," Ginny scoffed, ignoring or missing the glares coming from the Potters.

"It was really interesting and exciting to learn about all the different types of magic that exist around the world," Harry said, surprising several of the DA members. During his Hogwarts years Harry was not known for his studious nature. "Also the fact without that damn piece of Voldemort stuck in me, I felt that I could actually understand the material I was trying to learn."

"So what are some of the things that you learned?" Neville asked.

"Some spells, different versions of spells that we had already knew," Hermione said. "The most interesting thing that we learned was the obvious differences in the statuses of purebloods, half-bloods and muggleborns all around the world."

"What do you mean?" George asked.

"Well, in much of the Americas, Australia and the East Indies, there isn't real any difference between being a pureblood, half-blood or muggleborn," Harry said. "In fact, in the United States, there is a law that makes it illegal to ask what someone's blood status on a job application. There is still discrimination for sure, but it is not nearly as bad as it is here. Also many of the Ministries are much closer with the Muggle authorities outside of Europe."

"But doesn't that break the Statue of Secrecy?" Ginny asked.

"No," Hermione answered. "The Muggle governments have dominion over their countries, or at least as supposed too. The magical governments are supposed to be pretty much departments of the Muggle government, answering to them and keeping the magical population from breaking any laws, magical or muggle."

"So that's it," Ron cut in. "You just romped around the world, learning things and what, shag?"

"That's low Ron," Neville snapped. "Harry and Hermione weren't dating anyone when they left, would you really be so petty to begrudge them some happiness?"

Both Ron and Ginny looked like they wanted to continue arguing but the looks coming from much of the rest of the room kept their mouths shut.

"Look Ron, Ginny, you two might be disappointed that Hermione and I are now married but we owed you nothing," Harry growled. "Ginny, you and I have not been together since my sixth year, regardless of what you might have thought."

"And Ronald, we were never dating," Hermione added. "That one kiss we had was me just being in the heat of the moment and losing my head. You have never treated me as someone you thought of as having romantic feelings for. I was just your homework helper, the one that would have to bail you out from flunking out of Hogwarts! You constantly belittled me, mocked me and treated me like a House Elf."

"So did Harry!" Ron argued. "He made you do his homework too."

"No he didn't, he asked me to look it over," Hermione retorted. "He also never called me mental, mocked my beliefs and didn't get me nearly killed!"

"Yes he did, what about fifth year? The Ministry?" Ginny shouted. The DA members had backed away from the quartet, knowing that this confrontation was going to happen.

"I went along with the plan to rescue Sirius," Hermione shot back. "I volunteered, so did you, Ron, Luna and Neville. Harry warned us that it was most likely a trap but I couldn't let him go alone. If Ron hadn't been so jealous and bull-headed during that Charms class, I wouldn't have been in that bathroom and nearly been squished into jelly by a mountain troll!"

"I had no idea that a troll would be let into Hogwarts!" Ron countered. "I didn't know that you would be in that bathroom, how could I? You can't blame me for that!"

"Still, it's not like you truly risked your life to save mine," Hermione growled. "You didn't jump onto the back of a fully grown troll to distract it, you just huddled by the doorway the whole time."

"I was scared!" Ron shouted. "I was only eleven years old for Merlin's sake! But not everyone can be the great and fearless Harry Potter," Ron sneered.

"You don't think I was scared," Harry said. "I was terrified but I just couldn't let Hermione get hurt for being made fun of for getting a spell right first."

"But you agreed with me! She was just showing off!"

"I didn't agree with you, I just didn't know what to do," Harry admitted. "You were my first friend at the time Ron, but I knew that you were in the wrong. But I was afraid of losing my first and only friend by calling you out. You never apologized to her for that, and you never apologized to me after being wrong about the Goblet!"

"You forgave me!" Ron countered.

"Only because I knew that you would never apologize for it," Harry said. "All you said was that someone was trying to do me in. You never said you were sorry for not believing me about not putting my name in the Goblet."

"Look, I think that's enough," Neville said, stepping between Harry and Ron. "This is supposed to be a happy occasion, not a pissing contest." The shy and meek former Gryffindor stood his ground against his two former classmates, not giving an inch. Harry nodded sharply and the tension lessened.

That was until three new figures entered the room.

"Sorry are we late?" Daphne said as she, Tracey Davies and Theo Nott appeared in the doorway.

"What the bloody hell are those Slytherins doing here?" Ron roared, his hand darting into his robes for his wand.

"I invited them Ron," Harry said, freezing Ron in place with a **Body Bind**. "They are members of the DA and deserve to be here as much as you do."

"They aren't DA members!"

"They are," Neville spoke up. "They were our spies in Slytherin during our seventh year. We needed eyes and ears inside the Snake Pit, and these three risked their lives to do so."

"I don't remember them coming to any meetings," Ginny spoke up, glaring at the trio of Slytherins. "And they sure as hell didn't keep their housemates from attacking us."

"They couldn't do much outright, lest they risk their positions," Neville said. "We needed spies in Slytherin, and if anyone found out about it, their lives would be forfeit and the DA could have been compromised. I didn't tell anyone about them because I knew that most of the DA wouldn't trust them."

"You are damn right we wouldn't trust them, they are Slytherins!" Ron shouted. "They are evil!"

"Bullshit!" Harry barked. "Just because they were Slytherins doesn't make them evil, they choose to risk their lives just as all the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws that were part of the DA. As a wise old man once said, 'it is our choices, far more than our abilities, that define who we are'. And if you must know, I was almost Sorted into Slytherin."

That bombshell stunned everyone into silence. "The Sorting Hat said that I could have been a Slytherin if it wasn't for the massive prejudice against muggleborns," Hermione admitted. "I could have also been in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff but I choose Gryffindor."

"If we are not welcome…" Tracey began but Harry cut her off.

"No Tracey. You, Daphne and Theo are welcome in any of my homes," he told them. "If someone has problems with it, then that is their problem." Ron, Ginny and several others scowled at Harry but didn't leave the room. "Now I expect everyone to treat Daphne, Theo and Tracey at least cordially. I won't order you all to be friendly with them but they are my guests just like everyone else here is, so I will not hesitate to throw you out if you don't at least act civilly. Do you all understand?"

The group nodded, feeling the pressure being exuded from Harry recede and allow them to breathe easier once more. The party opened up and the group began mingling once more.

"Lord Potter, Lady Potter, may I have a word with you in private?" a stern and familiar voice asked from behind the couple.

"Hello Professor, thank you for coming," Harry said as he and Hermione greeted the elderly Transfiguration Mistress and Headmistress of Hogwarts.

"It is good to see you two once more, you have been missed," McGonagall said with a soft smile. Harry and Hermione nodded at the compliment.

"What can we do for you Headmistress?" Hermione asked.

"I do not know if you are aware, since you have only just returned but our Defense against the Dark Arts professor no longer wishes to continue teaching," McGonagall said. "And the duties of being Headmistress as well as teaching Transfiguration have become too much for me to handle. So I have come to offer the Defense position to you Harry, and the Transfiguration post to you Hermione."

"Surely Professor, there are more qualified candidates than us?" Harry argued. "I mean we never even completed our N.E. ."

"Come now Mr. Potter, do you truly believe that your lovely wife would not have made sure that you both completed your education?" McGonagall chuckled.

"It seems that we still can't put anything past you Professor," Hermione admitted with a small smile. "But still, neither of us have any experience with teaching."

"What about this wonderful group around you?" McGonagall countered. "The students that were members of the DA received the highest average on their O. and N.E. in over four decades, and you two were the ones who taught them. I have received several letters from members here wishing that you would take up the positions. Lady Potter, you earned the third highest score on your O.W.L, only behind Albus Dumbledore and Thomas Riddle." Hermione's eyes widened at McGonagall's subtle admission that Hermione had scored higher than herself in McGonagall's own field of study. "And Lord Potter, I know that the students of Hogwarts would welcome you with open arms, and you would show them how to truly defend themselves from the Dark Arts. Also, I believe that being at Hogwarts would shield you from quite a bit of scorn coming from the public for your disappearance. You taking charge in leading the next generation of our world would be seen as a very welcome sight and way to reincorporate yourselves back into society."

Harry and Hermione exchanged a look.

"We don't have any other plans for employment right now," Hermione said.

"And I would like to see Hogwarts, Hagrid and everyone again," Harry added. "Professor, if we do accept this offer, we will be teaching what we wish. I do not want any outside interference in how I teach the students in how to defend themselves whether it is from you or the Ministry. I expect Hermione to be the same." His wife nodded.

"So I am to assume that we will be seeing you at the castle in August?" McGonagall asked. Harry and Hermione nodded. "Excellent, and I fully agree with your suggestions. The curriculum does need to be updated, and I know that you two will be the ones to do so. Until August."

"Goodbye Professor," Harry and Hermione chorused as the older woman inclined her head to the pair before leaving the party.

"Uncle Harry!" a child's voice broke the silence that had followed as the DA began breaking up.

"Hey there Teddy, how you been?" Harry laughed as he scooped up his godson into his arms. "Hello Andromeda, thank you for coming."

The older woman just smiled at the interaction between her grandson and Harry. The distance between the pair had completely vanished and for that she was eternally grateful. She knew that she was not getting any younger, and looking after a five-year old was not for the faint of heart.

"I've missed you Uncle Harry," Teddy said as he hugged Harry tightly around the neck.

"Oh, and what about me?" Hermione asked with a mock pout, though her eyes were sparkling with happiness.

"Hi Aunt Hermione!" Teddy cried, waving his small hand at Hermione. The young woman giggled and came over to the duo and gave the small boy a kiss on the cheek. "Blech!" Teddy said, wiping his cheek furiously in the manner that young children do.

Harry met Hermione's eyes, and she smiled at her husband, seeing the gratefulness and thanks in his eyes. She knew it had been a difficult fight for Harry to allow Teddy into his life, knowing what the boy's parents had done to him.

_Flashback_

_"Harry, what about Teddy?" Hermione asked. It had been three months since the duo had left Britain, and had only just found Hermione's parents, and Hermione was trying to build up her courage to approach them to reverse the **Memory Charms**._

_"What about him?" Harry shot back._

_"Well, I know that you don't care very much for Remus or Tonks right now but they did name you Teddy's godfather," Hermione pointed out. "What are you going to do about that?"_

_"Why should I care about Ted…their son? Remus abandoned me on Dumbledore's orders, ignoring the fact my parents were his best friends," Harry said. "I didn't ask for Remus to push his responsibilities onto me, just like the rest of the wizarding world did."_

_"Oh come on Harry, I know you," Hermione sighed. "Could you really live with yourself by doing the exact same thing that Remus did to you? To just abandon Teddy?"_

_Harry flinched. "I am nothing like Remus," he snapped. "My relationship with Remus and Tonks was nothing like Remus' relationship with my parents. He called them his some of his best friends, and yet what does he do? He abandons me on the word of one person. Did I really mean so little to him that he couldn't come try and find me, to see if I was actually being cared for and happy?"_

_Hermione frowned. She knew that Remus was a sore subject for Harry, she didn't like the deceased Marauder much more than Harry did but she knew that Teddy didn't deserve to be deprived of his godfather. "I thought that you would be different from both Remus and Sirius," she said._

_"What are you talking about?" Harry snapped._

_"Both Remus and Sirius abandoned you," Hermione said. "Remus on orders, and Sirius did so on his own. He was your godfather, you should have been his first responsibility but no, he choose revenge instead of looking after you."_

_"His best friends had just been killed, he wasn't thinking straight!" Harry shouted, defending his godfather. "He thought that giving me to Hagrid, I would be safe and then that rat set him up."_

_"Yes, and Remus did the same thing," Hermione's calm voice cut through Harry's rage like a knife. "Yes, he should have made more of an effort to contact you, and stay in contact after our third year but he believed in Dumbledore to keep you safe. Did he trust the wrong man, yes but Sirius should have personally made sure that you were safe. He should have taken you to St. Mungo's or Hogwarts when he got to Godric's Hollow, not run off after Pettigrew. You know I'm right Harry. You can't just pretend that you are not doing the same thing to Teddy that Remus, and Sirius did to you!"_

_Harry's face crumpled. He knew that Hermione was right. "Hermione, we're just kids ourselves," he said. "How can I possible take care of a baby if I don't even know how to take care of myself? I've never even been around a baby, I wouldn't know the first thing…"_

_"Oh Harry, you won't be alone in this," Hermione said. "I'll be there to help you, and I am sure that Andromeda, Teddy's grandmother, will be more than willing to raise Teddy as well. I think you do need to contact Andromeda that until you are healed and feel able to care for Teddy that it would be best if he stayed with her."_

_Harry nodded. "You're right," he said. "You are always right. I'm sorry I snapped at you Hermione."_

_"It's ok Harry," Hermione smiled. "You were just scared, it is understandable. Tonks told me that I was Teddy's godmother just before she ran off to find Remus during the Battle, so I'm scared too. But Teddy will need you, and I think, no, I know you'll need him just as much."_

_End Flashback_

"So what do you want to do Teddy?" Harry asked.

"Can we go for a ride on your broom?" the young boy asked, his features turning into a mirror of Harry's and using Lily's eyes to their maximum effect.

"All right," Harry sighed, though inwardly he was laughing. "I guess we're going flying." Teddy squealed with delight as Harry carried him out of the room. Hermione and Andromeda laughed after the pair before sitting down at kitchen table to enjoy the cup of tea that Winky had effortlessly provided for them.

**A/N: Well there you have it, the second chapter of '_Two Sides_'. I know that I said that the epilogue of '_Rise from the Ashes_' would come first but I couldn't get this out of my head. It just seemed to flow from my head, down through my fingers and into a word doc. Some might have a problem with me taking both Sirius and Remus to task in the latter half of this chapter, but both elder Marauders did abandon Harry. We don't really know why Remus didn't contact Harry before or after Harry's third year, and Sirius, while distraught, should have made Harry his main priority, not revenge like he did going after Pettigrew. Anyway, let me know what you all thought of this chapter with some reviews. Hope you all enjoyed reading this, til next time,**

**S.R.W.M.O**


	3. Things are set in motion

**Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is NOT mine! I own none of it! I am not JK Rowling, if I was, then Harry wouldn't have married a sister-look-alike and Voldemort wouldn't have been killed by a fluke of luck. But alas, all the recognizable characters and setting from _Harry Potter_ belong to JKR. Enjoy!**

"Welcome to Hogwarts, for those appearing before us for the first time or returning to the castle once more, welcome back" McGonagall said as she rose from her seat at the head of the staff table after the Welcoming Feast had concluded. "Before I release you all to your dormitories, as I am sure that you are all tired from the day's events, I have some announcements. First, those wishing to try out for your House's Quidditch team, sign up sheets will be posted in the House common rooms next week. I remind you all that first years are allowed to try out. There will be reserve teams for each House, and that is where any first year that proves themselves in tryouts will play. The matches can sometimes get too intense, and we want to minimize any potential injuries. Secondly, I would like to welcome back two of our finest graduates, Harry Potter and Hermione Potter nee Granger, who have graciously returned to take over the Defense against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration positions. I believe both of the Potters would like to address you, so pay attention."

"Thank you Headmistress," Harry said as he stood up. He looked out over the assembled students, all of who were looking up at him with rapt attention and awe. "It is very exciting to be back at Hogwarts. Now, many of you might be confused on what to call Hermione and I if you see us in the halls or in the classroom, well I think it would make everyone's lives much easier if you all call me Professor Potter and Hermione, Professor Granger. Sound good?" The students nodded.

"Good," Hermione said, taking over for her husband. "Now as you all are aware, Harry and I were both Gryffindors during our time at Hogwarts but that does not mean we will be favoring our old house. If you have any problems, do not hesitate to come to either of us. We are here to help and teach you not take sides."

"Also, the organization that Hermione and I helped create during our time here, the Defense Association, will be reinstated," Harry said with a smile. "However, it will be limited to only those fourth year and up because of the limits that any students younger than that have. It isn't until your fourth year for the most part that your magical core has stabilized enough for heavier spell work."

Harry and Hermione sat down and turned their attention back to the Headmistress. McGonagall rose and then dismissed the students to their dormitories.

"Neville, would you mind showing Harry and Hermione to their quarters?" McGonagall asked once the students had left the Great Hall.

"Of course Professor," Neville said. The trio of former Gryffindors bid the other professors goodnight and left the Great Hall. "Well you two, welcome to Hogwarts. It must be a bit jarring coming back here after all these years."

"It is," Harry admitted. "The castle is back to what it looked like before the battle and you can barely tell that it was damaged at all."

"Yeah, they've done a good job at fixing the place up," Neville said. "But that's not really what I was asking?"

"We know Neville but let us talk more in a more secure location," Hermione said.

Neville led the couple to the Defense classroom on the third floor.

"Its just like I remember it," Harry said. "Can we tempt you for a night cap Neville?"

"I guess, it would be nice to catch up some more and I am sure that you both might have some questions for me," Neville accepted.

As soon as the door closed, Hermione's wand came out of her sleeve and she cast several spells to lock and soundproof the room from anyone trying to listen in.

"Man that was difficult," Harry sighed as he slumped into a comfy chair in the small sitting room that was behind the office. "I could barely look any of those _people_ in the eyes."

"I know," Neville said, taking a small tumbler of Firewhiskey from Hermione. "It doesn't get any easier, let me tell you. I've been here for three years now, and it still catches me sometimes."

"We knew it was going to be difficult coming back here," Hermione said. "But we can't falter just because of it. If we do, then this world will continue to fester and decay until it collapses or some idiot will try and become another Dark Lord and expose the magical world to the outside one. That's why we are doing this, to make sure that the world doesn't descend into chaos because the outside world panics and attempts to destroy the magical world."

"I know but seeing all those faces and remembering everything that they had done to us, all because of what Dumbledore told them to do," Harry argued.

The Potters' quarters wavered before Harry as he fell into a memory, a memory that had been taken then returned only by a stroke of luck.

_Flashback_

_"There you are Harry, where have you been?" Hermione asked as Harry entered the Gryffindor Common Room. "What did McGonagall want?"_

_"Yeah mate, you look like shite," Ron chuckled._

_"Language Ronald," Hermione snapped. "Come on Harry, what did McGonagall want after class?"_

_"She told us that there was going to be a Yule Ball on Christmas Eve," Harry whispered. "That is why we needed dress robes."_

_"I theorized that it might be something like that," Hermione said. "But surely Harry, just hearing that there will be a dance is the reason you are in such a snit?"_

_"She also told me that I needed to find a partner, since the Champions have to open the Ball," Harry said, his voice high and squeaky. Ron just goggled at his friend while Hermione had to stuff her hand in her mouth to stifle the giggles that threatened to spill from her mouth. "It's not funny Hermione, how am I supposed to ask a girl to the Ball? I can barely talk to a girl."_

_Hermione's face immediately closed off, her eyes turning hurt and lips firming into a thin line, much like McGonagall was note to do. "I see, so you can't talk to a girl can you?" she asked sharply, her voice wavering ever so slightly. "Then I'll leave you two to figuring out how to talk to a girl!" Hermione scooped up her books and stormed out of the common room._

_"What has got her knickers in a twist?" Ron asked crudely._

_"Oh shite!" Harry groaned._

_"What mate?"_

_"Hermione's a girl!" Harry realized. "And I just totally ignored that fact. How could I be so stupid? She's my best friend and I've been so thick. I need to apologize to her." Harry leapt to his feet and raced out of the common room in pursuit of Hermione. As he was rushing out of the common room, Harry didn't hear Ron mutter, "I'm your best mate Harry, not some jumped-up know-it-all."_

_"Hermione!" Harry shouted as he spotted the bushy-haired Gryffindor storming down a corridor. "Hermione please wait! I need to talk to you!"_

_"You've said enough Harry Potter!" Hermione snapped back, not even looking back at him._

_"Please Hermione, I didn't mean what I said," Harry pleaded as he caught up with her. "Let me explain, you know me better than anyone. I'm no good with words. I've always known that you were a girl, what I said didn't come out right."_

_"Of course it came out right," Hermione snapped. "That's all I am, isn't it? Hermione Granger, the friend, Hermione Granger, one of the guys, Hermione Granger, the amorphous thing!"_

_"No!" Harry shouted. "Never! Never think that Hermione, you are my best friend! Please Hermione, just let me explain?" Harry felt his spirits rise when Hermione came to a stop and spun on her heel to face him. He could tell that she was still extremely angry, her arms were crossed in front of her chest and her lips were in a mirror image of McGonagall's disapproving look._

_"Look Hermione, I am so sorry about what I said in the common room," Harry said. "I wasn't thinking, or well, I was thinking too much of myself than what effect my words might have on anyone else. Hermione, I have always known that you were a girl, a very pretty girl too. It's just when McGonagall said that I had to open the Ball with a partner, I panicked. I mean, this year, you were the only one that believed in me about the Goblet. Everyone else just thought I was a cheat or some sort of Dark wizard for tricking the Goblet but not you Hermione. You have been the best friend that I've ever had, and I have never been as good a friend to you as you have to me."_

_Harry cut Hermione's interruption off with a raised hand. "You know its true Hermione," he said. "When I was saying…what I meant back in the common room was that how could I ask a girl to go to the Ball with me? Everyone thinks of me as Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, or Harry Potter, the next Dark Lord or Harry Potter, the attention seeking prat who somehow snuck his name into the Triwizard Tournament."_

_"I don't," Hermione argued._

_"I know Hermione, and you will never know how much I appreciate that," Harry said with a smile. "But back to the Ball, I don't know the first thing about talking to girls. You have to admit that I don't talk to many besides you, and just the thought of trying to ask someone to a Ball is more terrifying than facing that dragon again."_

_"Oh come now Harry, I am sure that dozens of girls would love for you to ask them to the Ball," Hermione said, and if Harry hadn't been so in tune with Hermione, he would have missed the scathing undertone in her voice._

_"Yeah but they just want to go with Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, not Harry Potter, the boy who is terrified that he has destroyed the most important friendship that he has ever known," Harry said, looking straight into Hermione's eyes._

_"Oh Harry, you didn't ruin our friendship," Hermione said, allowing Harry to release the breath that he had been holding. "I know that you didn't mean anything by what you said, you have always been clueless about girls, anyone can see that."_

_"The only girl I feel comfortable around is you Hermione," Harry admitted. His eyes brightened when an idea struck him. "Hey Hermione, please don't take this the wrong way but would you go to the Ball with me?"_

_Hermione's breath caught in her chest. "This better not be just some thinly veiled groveling attempt at earning my forgiveness?" she asked, her almond brown eyes seemingly piercing Harry's very soul._

_"No, never that," Harry exclaimed, waving his hands in front of him. "I just realized that you are the only girl I know, you are my best friend, and the one girl I know that sees me for being just Harry, and not Harry Potter. So please, would you go to the Ball with me?"_

_"I'd love too," Hermione answered with a beaming smile._

_"Thank Merlin!" Harry gasped as he quickly embraced Hermione in a tight hug. The bushy haired teen returned the hug just as tightly, burying her head in his shoulder._

_"Oh I can't wait," Hermione giggled. "I can't wait to tell my mum that I'm going to my first dance, she'll be all a twitter."_

_Harry chuckled. Hermione looked up at him, having felt the rumble in Harry's chest._

_"What's so funny?"_

_"I've never seen you act so, I don't know, girly," Harry said with a lopsided grin. "You are always so serious and focused, its nice to see you act relaxed."_

_Hermione returned Harry's grin with a smile of her own. "Just because I act like a stuck up prude doesn't mean I can't act like Lavender or Parvati."_

_"I know that now," Harry sighed, though his smile took any sting out of the comment._

_"Harry?"_

_"Yes Hermione?"_

_"I was thinking, I don't think we should tell people that we are going together," Hermione said._

_"Why not?" Harry asked, his brow furrowing in confusion._

_"Well, like you said, a lot of girls would love to go to the Ball with you, and some of them might not take the news that we're going together very well," Hermione pointed out. "We should keep it a secret for now."_

_"You're right as always," Harry said. "Then what should I say when people ask us?"_

_"Just say that you already have a partner but they've asked you to keep it quiet," Hermione said. "Maybe even start carrying your Invisibility Cloak with you to classes."_

_Harry nodded then frowned as a thought hit him. "What about Ron? Should we tell him that we're going to the Ball together?"_

_Hermione bit her lip. "I don't think so, you know that he isn't the most closed-mouthed person when it comes to secrets," she said. "I think we should just tell him the same thing we would anyone else."_

_Harry sighed but agreed. "We should probably get back to the common room then, I've still got that Potions essay to finish, would you mind looking it over when I'm done?"_

_"Of course," Hermione said._

_"Oh I'm so sorry Professor, we didn't see you there," Hermione gasped as she and Harry came around the corner and nearly ran headlong into Dumbledore._

_"Don't worry my dear Miss Granger," Dumbledore chuckled. "Such is the wont of youth, to always being in a rush." The Headmaster glanced down at Harry and Hermione's joined hands. "Harry my boy, have you found your partner for the Yule Ball?"_

_"Yes Professor, I asked Hermione and she accepted, so we'll be going together," Harry said with a relieved smile._

_"Excellent," Dumbledore said, though there was something different about his smile now. It seemed more forced and etched on his face rather than genial and natural. "Now I presume that you were on your way back to the common room to spread the good news."_

_"Actually sir, we were going to keep it quiet," Hermione said. "We know that a lot of girls will be wanting to go with Harry, and if they knew that we were going together, there might be some issues."_

_"Ah, I see," Dumbledore said. "Well then, I will not hold you any longer from the rest of your day. Good day Miss Granger, Harry."_

_"Afternoon Professor," Harry and Hermione chorused as they passed the Headmaster. Neither noticed the man slipping his wand from his robes and whispering a quick spell at their backs. The two students shuddered as the grey spell impacted them both._

_"Now then, Miss Granger, you and Harry have no feelings for each other, other than those of siblings," Dumbledore ordered. "In fact, you are beginning to develop feelings for Mr. Weasley. Harry, you have no romantic feelings of any sort for Miss Granger, she is like a sister to you. You are not going to the Ball together."_

_End Flashback_

"Harry, are you all right?" Neville asked, noticing that Harry had fallen silent and had been starring off into space for several minutes. Harry shook his head, ridding himself of the retrieved memory.

"I'm ok Neville, just reliving some unpleasant memories," Harry answered.

"Are you going to be ok love?" Hermione asked, once Neville had left the Potters' quarters for the night. "What memory?"

"When I asked you to the Yule Ball, the first time," Harry explained. Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"Ah yes, you were so cute groveling like that," Hermione giggled.

"I was not groveling," Harry pouted. "I just couldn't figure out to ask you without making it seem like I was groveling."

"I know Harry, I know," Hermione appeased her husband. "So have you looked at your schedule yet?"

Harry nodded. "It seems that McGonagall has continued with Dumbledore's idiotic way of pairing the Gryffindors and Slytherins together in pretty much every class," he said. "I never understood why the two most volatile Houses were always paired for the most dangerous classes, like Defense, Potions and even Creatures. That just spells trouble."

"So first thing we need to change is how Gryffindors and Slytherins treat each other," Hermione said. "We should start with the first years, maybe pairing a Snake and a Lion up for a project."

"That could work," Harry admitted. "Any ideas for Defense projects?"

"Oh no mister, I'm not doing your work for you," Hermione argued, though with a smile.

"Fine," Harry pouted. Hermione shook her head at her husband's antics.

"Welcome to first year Defense against the Dark Arts," Harry said as his first class of the term, a mix of Gryffindors and Slytherins, entered the classroom. "Now, as you can all see, there is a seating chart so first things first is for everyone to find their seat."

"But sir, you have us sitting with the Slytherins?" a first year Gryffindor asked after looking at the seating chart.

"And your point is Mr. McWilliams?" Harry asked the small boy. "As your Professor, I have given you all an assigned seat, so if you are not in that seat in the next ten seconds, I'll start taking points."

The class scrambled to their seats, none wanting to lose points for their Houses on the first day.

"Good," Harry said. "Now, as Mr. McWilliams pointed out, I have placed you all in seats next to another classmate from a different House. I have done this because, while you might be in different Houses, you are all Hogwarts students and you will learn to get along with one another. I am not asking you all to be best friends but you will act civilly while in my classroom. Is that understood?" he asked. The first years nodded their heads rapidly, recognizing Harry's tone for what it was. His question wasn't really a question, it was a command and to disobey was to court something bad.

"All right then," Harry grinned, the light pressure that had been filling the room vanished as quickly as it came. "Now in this class, throughout your seven years at Hogwarts you will learn a myriad of different things including what wizards and witches can do to one another when fighting, the various magical creatures that inhabit our world and how to defend yourself from both magical creatures and your fellow witch or wizard. I want you to answer this question; when in a duel or fighting a magical creature, what should be your first and only priority?"

After a few moments, several first years raised their hands.

"Yes Miss Evergreen?" Harry asked the small Slytherin girl who had raised her hand.

"Beating them?" the small girl said.

"Is that your answer or just another question?" Harry asked with a small smile.

"My answer," Evergreen said with a firmer voice.

"Good answer but not the one I was looking for, anyone else want to give it a try? Yes Mr. Anderson?"

"I think it should be to capture them."

Harry gave the small blonde boy another smile. "Unfortunately not, anyone else want to hazard a guess?" Harry looked around the classroom once more but saw that the students were confused. "Your main priority should be getting the hell out of there."

"What?" the class cried.

"But that's being a coward!" a Gryffindor first year shouted.

"No it's being smart," Harry said. "You are all first years, what could any of you possibly do against a Dark witch or wizard, or a magical creature twice your size?" Realization brightened the students' faces. "You see the key of any fight, especially one to the death, is to be the one who walks away, nothing more nothing less. If you walk away from a fight, you are the victor. Now a second question, what is the difference between a duel or fight?"

Blank looks answered Harry.

"Aren't they the same thing?" a black haired Gryffindor boy asked.

"No," Harry said. "And the quicker you realize that fact the better off you all will be. A duel is governed by rules, regulations and restrictions; a fight has none of those things. A fight has no rules, no restrictions and the one who survives in the winner. That will be one of the things that you will learn during your time here at Hogwarts under my tutelage. But that won't be for several years, this first year, you will be learning the basics; the basics of the Dark Arts…"

"You're teaching us to use the Dark Arts?" another Gryffindor exclaimed.

"No!" Harry barked, his eyes turning hard at the young man's question. "I will be teaching you how to recognize the Dark Arts and how to defend yourselves from them. Now, my definition of it means to be Dark is probably something that some of you might not agree with."

"What is your definition of the Dark Arts then Professor Potter?"

"A very good question Miss Taylor," Harry grinned. "In my opinion, the Dark Arts don't truly exist. Magic is neither Light nor Dark, it is only magic. It becomes Light or Dark when it is used. A witch or wizard can kill someone using a **Levitation Charm** just as easily as using a **Killing Curse**. The end result is still death. Now there are some truly Dark spells out there, the **Torture Curse** just to name one but it is our choices that define ourselves. Now we have about thirty minutes left of class, so I have a small quiz that I am going to hand out." Harry laughed at the groans coming from the first years. "Don't worry, its not for a grade or anything, I just want to get to know my students more. Fill out what you can during class, if you don't finish it, turn it in on Wednesday." Harry turned to his desk and flicked his wand at his desk. The stack of papers rose into the air and floated out into the classroom, and left a test on each of the desks it passed.

The students looked down at the test and picked up their quills. Thirty minutes later, the bell rang for the end of the period and the students quickly picked up their belongings and left the classroom. Harry watched them leave and sat down at his desk, breathing a sigh of relief. The first one had been easy, this class was only first years, up next were the NEWT-level seventh years.

"Welcome everyone to your seventh year DADA class," Harry said, taking in the group of seventh years that had entered the classroom. "You'll notice that you all have assigned seats this year, so hop to it."

"But Professor, we've always been allowed to sit wherever we want," a light brown haired Gryffindor spoke up.

"Correct Mr. Hughes, but this year is different," Harry said. "You will take your seats or I will start taking points, and if I have to tell you again, it will be detentions, now take your seats." Harry let loose a little bit of his magic out of confinement, filling the room. The students froze at the magical pressure that their Professor was exuding and quickly scrambled to their seats. "Thank you. Now then, lets get started. What you will be learning this year is how to defend yourselves in the face of aggressive fellow wizard combat. I have taken a look at what my predecessors have taught you, and," Harry slapped his desk hard, causing the room to jump, "it is pathetic!"

"But sir, we were taught how to duel the last two years," a Ravenclaw said.

"Oh yes, you've been taught how to duel," Harry agreed. "But dueling prowess will not save you when fighting for your life. Dark witches or wizards will not adhere to dueling laws and regulations, they will be trying to kill you, and it's my job to make sure that they fail in that pursuit. Now, what is the best and easiest way to win a fight?"

"To disarm your opponent Professor?" a Hufflepuff asked.

"A good answer Mr. Harris but not the one I was looking for," Harry said. "Perhaps this will make it easier to figure out, what do all spells have in common?"

"Magic?"

"While that's true Mr. Clarke, once more, not the answer I was looking for," Harry chuckled.

"We can see them," a Slytherin spoke up.

"Correct Miss Cooper, take five points to Slytherin," Harry said. "All spells are visible to the naked eye, there has yet to be a spell created that is invisible. So since we can see all spells, I will ask again, what is the easiest way to win a fight?"

"To not get hit by your opponent's spells."

"Excellent!" Harry smiled. "Take another five points to Slytherin for Miss Cooper's answer. A spell can't hurt you if it can't hit you. And that is what I will be teaching you. Now many of you are probably thinking, ok so we can just cast a **Shield Charm** and be fine. Well you are wrong, there are spells that can't be blocked by magical means."

"Like the **Killing Curse** Professor?"

"Correct," Harry said. "The** Killing Curse** is one such example. So the best way to avoid getting killed is to make sure that you are not in the curse's path. So everyone up from your desks and line up against the wall, now!"

The scraping sound of chairs and desks against the stone floor caused Harry to wince but he grinned slightly at the rush of students to follow his instructions. With a wave of his wand, Harry sent the desks and chairs across to the other side of the room.

"All right then, here's your first lesson…dodge!" Harry shouted as his wand came up in a blur and dozens of thin red spells shot from it. Harry chuckled at the screams and shouts of shock that came from his students. After two minutes of a constant barrage, Harry cancelled his spell work and holstered his wand.

"Professor, what the bloody hell was that for?"

"Normally, I would take points for foul language Mr. Morris but I'll let it slide this time," Harry said. "This was a lesson in preparedness, you can never know when you are going to come under attack. As a very successful Auror once said, 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' You must always be ready to defend yourselves and your loved ones. Now what if I had been using **Piercing Hexes** or even **Killing Curses**, you would all be dead. Now I was only using **Stinging Hexes** because I had to make a point. Any curse can kill you quite easily, so you mustn't let any curse touch you."

"You could have warned us!"

"That was the point, any Dark witch or wizard worth their salt won't allow you the time to draw your wand before they curse you," Harry said. "And neither will I, every time you step into this classroom, you will treat it as enemy territory. There will be days that I will give you all a 'surprise' quiz, emphasis on the surprise. You will learn from me, and what I teach you will probably save your life at some point. I expect you all to be ready for our next lesson. Now for the rest of the lesson we will be going over the most common spells that are used by Dark witches and wizards, and ways to defend yourselves from them, please take out some parchment and a quill."

"So how was your first day dear?" Hermione asked as she and Harry returned to their quarters.

"It was interesting for sure," Harry answered. "The first years seem to be open to instruction though the older students will be much more difficult to teach."

"That is what we figured honey," Hermione said. "It is the main reason we took these jobs, to mold the next generation, and we are going to do it right, unlike Dumbledore."

Harry nodded. "So what about your day? How was it being in McGonagall's place?" he asked.

"It went fine," she told Harry. "I had some trouble with my seventh years, mainly I think because they had all been taught by someone who looked like their grandmother. I had some seventh years who thought that since I was much younger than McGonagall, I would be more laissez faire than she was. Well they were in for a rude surprise."

Harry chuckled as he imagined the faces of the students when they realized that Hermione was a bigger stickler for classroom etiquette than McGonagall ever was.

"Harry, are you sure we're doing the right thing?" Hermione asked. "I mean, yes, the Order, the Weasleys deserve to pay but should we really be dragging the entire world into this?"

Harry sighed heavily as he sank into the couch next to Hermione. "I don't rightly know Hermione," he answered with his eyes closed. "If we could get away with just targeting those that have wronged us, I would be all for it. But you know as well as I, that even if we take down the Order, nothing will truly change. The magical world is quickly becoming diseased and rotting from the inside out, and if something isn't done to remove that infestation, then it will spill over to the outside world. How many purebloods in power don't recognize that if they carry on like they have been, they will drive all the muggleborns and a good percent of the half-bloods from the wizarding world and then it will shrivel and die."

"Why shouldn't we just let it shrivel and die then? It is nothing less than what it deserves," Hermione argued.

"Could we really just allow the world to collapse, and not just the magical world but the outside world as well? You know that if the magical world collapses, the remnants will spill out into the outside world and turn it upside down," Harry explained. "Evil wins when good men and women do nothing, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

"No," Hermione admitted. "And don't you start quoting Ben Franklin to me. I'm just afraid that we will become exactly what we suffered under if we go down this path."

"As long as we have each other and our friends, we will never be like Dumbledore," Harry assured Hermione. "We are not manipulating people to do our bidding, we are shattering their preconceptions and opening their minds. Also, neither of us are afraid of putting ourselves in the line of fire, unlike Dumbledore and the rest of this world putting all their hopes and prayers on one child."

Hermione slid into Harry's lap, laying her hand on his chest. She sighed softly as Harry's arms wrapped around her waist and he set his chin on the crown of her head.

* * *

The Potters quickly ingrained themselves in Hogwarts as students' favorites as the winter term passed. They proved themselves to be fair and approachable, regardless of House or blood status. The first years loved the Potters, especially the muggleborns or muggle-raised who latched onto the Potters as buoys in order to float in the brand new world that they had been thrown in too. Hermione convinced Headmistress McGonagall to let her set up several seminars for the muggleborns to help them adjust to the magical world. These seminars were a roaring success for all involved.

Hermione wasn't the only one who added responsibilities onto their plate; as Quidditch season approached, Harry asked the Headmistress to allow him to schedule extra flying lessons for all House Seekers. When asked why not just Gryffindor, Harry answered, "I don't show favoritism in the classroom, and I won't on the pitch." Mollified, McGonagall agreed to the lessons, which were met with rousing cheers from all four teams. The chance to learn from the youngest Quidditch player in over a century, and the man who outflew a Hungarian Horntail was something none of the Seekers wanted to miss.

The reconstituted Defense Association was another huge success for Harry and Hermione to ingrain themselves in the hearts and minds of the Hogwarts' students. With Neville assisting them, they showed the majority of the older students several different ways to defend themselves. They didn't teach them new spells, which some of the students had a problem with but Harry and Hermione told the group that it's not the amount of spells a witch or wizard knew, but how they used the spells that they had mastered.

Before either Harry or Hermione really knew it, they had been back at Hogwarts for nearly four months. The castle was starting to become the home it had felt like during their school years, and they could see that the integration efforts that they had put in their classes was beginning to pay off, it also helped that Neville had taken to copying them, making assigned seating mandatory in three of the castle's five core classes (DADA, Transfiguration, Herbology, Potions and Charms). While the Quidditch rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin was still fierce, there seemed to be much less aggression between the two Houses in the halls of the castles.

"So Neville, is the bill ready to be introduced?" Harry asked as he, Hermione, Neville and Susan Bones made their way toward the Wizengamont chambers for the winter summons.

"It's ready to go, Daphne has made sure it is on the agenda for today," Neville said. "I don't think we will have much of a problem pushing it through, especially if we are the one's who are footing the bill."

"Trust in politics, trust in the fact that politicians will do the best good when they don't stand to lose anything," Hermione groused. Harry grinned and wrapped an arm around his wife's waist. The group entered the chamber and headed for their seats.

"Attention, attention, the annual Yule meeting for the Wizengamont shall now be called to order," a scribe shouted out. "Chief Warlock Tiberius Ogden presiding, let the Lords and Ladies present themselves." The scribe, a weedy looking man with thinning red hair called out the names of the members, and the representatives for the Houses announced themselves when called.

"The first point of order is from Lord Longbottom," the scribe announced.

"Lord Longbottom, the floor is yours," Ogden said.

"Thank you Chief Warlock," Neville said as he stood from his seat and addressed the chamber. "Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamont, over the years I have noticed a growing trend that if left unchecked could spell the end of our way of life. I am speaking of course of the state that we introduce our world to the new families that enter it, muggleborns for short."

"What do you mean Lord Longbottom?" a stern voice called out from the gallery.

"What I mean is that we expect muggleborns to come into the wizarding world and immediately adjust to our world," Neville explained. "As a Professor at Hogwarts, I am uniquely suited for this observation, many of my students who are muggleborn or muggle-raised struggle to adjust to our world, quite understandable after being enlightened to the existence of magic. But these struggles could pose disastrous if left to continue to fester and grow."

"So what if those _muggleborns_ can't adjust?" a cruel voice snapped from the shadows. "We don't need them here, they have been polluting our world for long enough."

"We do need muggleborns Lord Nott," Neville answered. "Muggleborns make up nearly twenty percent of our population, slightly higher than that of purebloods, and that isn't even counting those children that don't attend Hogwarts and whose magic is sealed and memories wiped. Most muggleborns retreat back into the muggle world after leaving Hogwarts due to feeling overwhelmed by the magical world. I propose that a new department of the Ministry be created, one dedicated to making sure that the transition of our new citizens goes as smoothly as possible."

"What would this new department's responsibilities be?" Harry called out.

"I believe that we introduce muggleborns to the magical world too late," Neville said. "For the majority of them, the first time they are told of their abilities, is when their Hogwarts letter arrives. Some children develop their abilities faster than others, and accidental magic can scare parents who have no clue what is happening to their children. This department's main responsibility will be to contact muggleborn families once their child performs their first display of accidental magic, and to possibly help steer these families through the years leading up to sending their child to Hogwarts."

"Sounds extremely expensive, and just who would be paying for these visits and lessons?" Nott sneered.

"I will," Harry said, getting to his feet. He looked over to the Potter seat and saw Hermione also rise. "The Most Ancient and Noble House of Black will contribute 500,000 Galleons to the creation of this new department."

"The Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter will match Lord Black's contribution," Hermione said.

"As will my own house," Neville said.

"And mine," Susan Bones said from her seat. "I believe that brings us to two million Galleons, I believe that should be sufficient, don't you think Lord Nott?" Susan asked, pining the scared and bigoted man with a glare that she had inherited from her aunt.

"Why not add another 50,000 Galleons?" a crisp and cutting voice asked from the gallery. It was Daphne Greengrass. "In the name of the Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass, my family will donate 50,000 Galleons to this department."

"Thank you for your extremely charitable donations," Neville said. "I am sure that that will be sufficient. Minister Shacklebolt, do you think that the Ministry can support such a department?"

Shacklebolt rose from his seat next to the Chief Warlock. "Lord Longbottom, the Ministry would be honored to accept your gracious donations, from all of you. I completely agree that we do not allow muggleborns the easiest transition into our world; many sink because they are not given enough information. Rest assured, that this new department will be operational by next school year."

"A question?" a reedy voice called down from the gallery.

"Yes Lord Parkinson?" Ogden asked.

"Lord Longbottom, you say that this new department will approach these families upon their child's first instance of accidental magic," Parkinson said. Neville nodded. "But how will the department know?"

"If it is possible, the department will use something similar to the method that the Improper Use of Magic office uses," Neville said, as if explaining something to a young child. "That office is able to monitor the majority of the magic use in the British Isles, so why not use that system for this purpose?"

"I have no further questions," Parkinson said sitting back down in his seat. Parkinson's return to his seat silenced any other complaints that might have been raised.

* * *

"Master Harry, Mistress Hermione, there is someone at the door wishing to speak with you," Winky said as the small house elf entered the sitting room where Harry and Hermione were enjoying tea.

"Who is it Winky?" Hermione asked.

"Professor McGonagall," Winky answered.

"Please let her in," Harry ordered. Winky nodded and vanished with a pop. A minute later, Professor McGonagall entered the sitting room.

"Hello there Professor, please come in and take a seat," Harry said, gesturing his hand toward an open chair.

"Thank you Lord Potter," McGonagall said, taking the offered seat. Winky appeared at her elbow with a cup of tea. "Thank you Winky." The house elf bowed to the three humans before vanishing with a soft pop.

"Now what can we do for you Professor?" Hermione asked, sipping her own cup.

"I do not know if you are aware but while You-Who-Know has been vanquished the Order is still meeting," McGonagall said. "We realized that after the first fall of You-Know-Who, we should have been more aware and more proactive to ensure that another Dark Lord does not rise, and we were hoping that you two would return to our ranks."

Harry and Hermione turned to one another, seemingly having a conversation without any words. They finished their conversation, and Harry turned back to McGonagall. "Yes, the Order and the Ministry could have been much more vigilant and maybe actually punished the Death Eaters instead of just letting them go," Harry said, earning a wince from McGonagall.

"Yes, there is much blame to go around," the elderly witch admitted. Harry wanted to keep this thread of conversation going but was stopped by his wife.

"So when is this meeting?" Hermione asked.

"It will be held on the third day of the New Year at Hogwarts, so we will see you two there?" McGonagall asked. Harry and Hermione nodded.

"Thank you all for coming," McGonagall told the assembled Order members as they took their seats in the staff room that McGonagall had chosen for their meeting place. "It has been quite some time since we were all gathered together, and now I believe the time has come that we gather once more. Our first order of business is to welcome back two of our members, Harry and Hermione Potter."

The Potters nodded to the Order members who clapped their appreciation for their return. Both Harry and Hermione both noticed that the Weasleys were in the back of the room, Ron, Ginny and Molly shooting veiled glares at them. Ignoring the lukewarm response, Harry and Hermione turned their attention back to Professor McGonagall.

"Is that all we've been called back for?" Ron asked with a snarl. "Just to welcome those two back with open arms, as if nothing has changed?"

"No Mr. Weasley it is not," McGonagall snapped, showing that her glare had not diminished one ounce over the years. "That was just the first order of business this evening. However the Potters did bring up an interesting point when I met with them before the Yule, we are in a similar position to the years following the first fall of You-Know-Who. And as the Potters point out, we failed to insure that our world was ready to defend itself for the return of You-Know-Who."

"What do you mean, we failed?" Kingsley asked.

"I'll turn things over to Hermione to explain," McGonagall said. Hermione rose from her seat, nodded to McGonagall and then turned to address the Order.

"What I meant when I told Professor McGonagall that the Order failed was that both the Order and Ministry failed to insure that the world was capable of defending itself from the rise of Voldemort, or any Dark witch or wizard by not cleaning up the corruption and bigotry that allowed Voldemort to gain such a foothold in magical Britain."

"What are you talking about?" Dedalus Diggle asked.

"The fact that the Ministry failed to prosecute and imprison the majority of the Death Eaters after 1981," Hermione said. "This lapse in common sense allowed high-level Death Eaters such as Lucius Malfoy and Yaxley to gain positions of power in the Ministry itself, which made it all the easier for Voldemort to take over in 1997."

"We couldn't do anything, the Ministry was stonewalling us at every turn," Kingsley argued. "Bagnold and Fudge after her let them walk."

"Perhaps, but then you should have made sure that they were dealt with anyway," Harry barked. "Do you know what it means to become a Death Eater?" Most of the Order shook their heads. "One must capture a person, usually a muggle woman, torture and then murder that person in front of Voldemort. Some even went farther than that, and assaulted their victims in the most heinous manner possible." The Order looked sick at the information they were being given, information that was known but seemingly ignored. "Also the fact that after Voldemort's second rise, you all never truly fought back against these murderers and terrorists."

"We fought back, that's how we won!" a new member of the Order shouted.

"We all got lucky!" Harry shot back. "If it hadn't been for a huge stroke of luck and Voldemort's own overconfidence, we would have lost and the world would well be on its way to being destroyed. Most of this blame lies with you all and Dumbledore!"

"What?" several Order members cried.

"You all thought it was a good idea to fight a war using only **Disarming Charms** and **Stunning Spells** when the other side was using lethal curses!" Hermione shouted out over the clamor. "War is something that must be avoided at all costs, and that is why it must be fought brutally, and without quarter to those who offer none. How many of your friends or family died because the Death Eaters that were captured or incapacitated during battle were just revived a few moments later? During our escapade to the Department of Mysteries, we stunned at least half of the Death Eaters, several times in some cases but they didn't suffer a single causality."

"So you would have us become murderers and lower ourselves to the level of the Death Eaters?" Molly Weasley shouted.

"So you would rather one of your loved ones die because you were too afraid to take the life of someone who would kill you without a second thought?" Harry asked. "Mrs. Weasley, you killed Bellatrix Lestrange during the final battle so do you consider yourself a murderer?"

"Of course not, that woman was evil and Dark! She deserved to die!" Molly cried.

"Of course she did," Hermione said. "Restraint is good but too much is just as bad as none at all. Allowing the Death Eaters to slink away after a battle only allows them to regroup and get another shot at us. Harry and I would never suggest that you all go out and start killing people without thought or conscience that would make you as bad as the Death Eaters. But in defense of one's self or in defense of one's loved ones is not murder nor is it Dark. The Order and the Ministry must be willing to fight using all the tools at their disposal or another Dark Lord or Lady will just come along and stir up even more trouble."

"We also can not allow our world to become so segregated, it divides us and makes our world easy pickings for Dark witches or wizards," Harry said. "The Ministry, and Kingsley you especially, have to make sure that bigotry is stamped out. Get rid of the laws that limit half-bloods and muggleborns from getting good jobs, keep muggleborns from leaving the magical world, being forced out by bigots and legislation. The new department in the Ministry is a perfect start, educate muggleborns about the magical world so they don't flounder and drown. Hogwarts is another huge obstacle."

"Obstacle?" McGonagall asked.

"Education is the vital key to making sure that our world doesn't suffer another Dark Lord or Lady," Harry said. "Hogwarts is the pinnacle of education in Britain, and yet until recently both History of Magic and Muggle Studies were woefully behind the times. Those two classes are more important than many realize. The Muggle Studies class is thought of as a joke by much of society, as is History of Magic, and yet they are just as important as Defense against the Dark Arts. History of Magic is where we are supposed to learn where we came from, what decisions have brought us to the brink of destruction and what needs to be changed. And Muggle Studies is even worse, it is over seventy years out of date and yet this class is the only 'link' between the two worlds. Professor, you must change those two classes and soon or we could be very well on the way to the extinction of the magical world, not just here in Britain but across the world."

"You must be joking!" McGonagall gasped.

Hermione shook her head solemnly. "No, we're not," she said. "If those two classes continue to flounder as they are, then the divide between the magical world and the muggle world will only widen and then at the world possible moment, come crashing together in violence. The muggles have made great strides in the past decade, let alone what they have accomplished in the last century while the magical world is stuck in the last century. You must make Muggle Studies mandatory for all non-muggleborns or muggle-raised students. And for those muggleborns or muggle-raised, create a class of Wizarding Studies, teaching them about the world they are entering. History of Magic has to be updated and Binns has got to go as well."

"Those changes will not be easy to accomplish," McGonagall admitted. "Many people will not like the way you are demanding changes to a system that has stood for a millennium."

"Too bad," Harry snorted. "Change is a necessary part of life, if our world continues to be stagnant, it will shrivel and waste away or worse, it will be destroyed from the inside just as certainly as if Voldemort had won." The Order shivered at the thought of Voldemort being victorious, they all knew that they would either be dead, enslaved or forced to serve the darkest Dark Lord in history.

"Your suggested improvements to Hogwarts won't be able to come into effect until September I'm afraid," McGonagall said. "It is much too late to remove both Professor Binns and Ward from their posts, and find new professors to fill their spots before term begins. But make no mistake; I will do as you suggest Harry, Hermione."

"Thank you Professor," Hermione said.

The rest of the meeting passed by quite quickly as it was more of a social gathering or reunion than a rejoining of a 'paramilitary' group somewhat responsible for the destruction of Voldemort. Harry and Hermione had to fend off many of the members who had come to offer congratulations on their marriage, or welcoming them back to Britain. When the meeting finally broke apart, both Potters were emotionally spent from having to keep a 'stiff upper lip' in the face of many of the same people who attempted to control their lives, all on the word of one man.

**A/N: Well there you have it, the newest installment of _Two Sides_, hope you all liked it. Not a whole lot of action in this chapter, and some might think most of this chapter is bashing, and it could be considered that. However, if you wanted me to just recite the characters exactly how JK wrote them, well then go reread the series. Also the points I raised in this chapter are seemingly plot holes that existed in _HP_, like why wasn't Muggle Studies or History of Magic up-to-date and mandatory, and why were the Gryffindors and Slytherins always paired together for DADA and Potions, you would think that knowing the animosity between the two Houses, Dumbledore would make sure the Lions and Snakes weren't paired in the more dangerous classes. Let me know what you think by dropping a review or PM, they are always appreciated. Well, until next time,**

**S.R.W.M.O**

**P.S. Happy Memorial Day! Thank you to all those who serve or have served in the past for your and your family's sacrifices. God bless**


	4. New Year, New Threat

**Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is NOT mine! I am NOT JK Rowling, if I was, I wouldn't be sending out job applications everyday. Be warned there is Lemon in this chapter, it will be marked so if you don't want to read it just skip ahead. Enjoy!**

"Thank you all for coming," Harry said as the door to the kitchen basement of Grimmauld Place closed behind Neville. Harry looked around the room at the assembled group; all of the people in the basement had suffered under the yoke of both the Light and Dark during the previous wars. It had seemed that both sides had kept the war raging much longer than it needed to, though the Light was the more egregious perpetrator of this as they never seemed to fight back against the Light, seemingly willing to just hand off any Death Eaters that had been captured to a corrupt Ministry that would just release the criminals after lining their pockets with gold.

"It has been quite some time since we were all together," Harry commented as Neville took his seat at the far end of the table. "I am sure that you have all been working extremely hard over the past five years while Hermione and I have been gone, working your way into positions of power throughout our world. Now, Neville, Hermione and I have all been asked to rejoin the Order of the Phoenix. For those of you who don't know, the Order was pretty much Dumbledore's private army, his version of the Death Eaters."

"They were Dumbledore's personal stooges in the schemes that the bastard used," Hermione continued. "For the most part, they were in charge of confining Harry to Privet Drive and then ensuring that both Harry and I did not stray off Dumbledore's path. They wiped our memories, blocked us from learning more than what Dumbledore deemed necessary and pretty much followed whatever Dumbledore told them to do. And McGonagall has reconvened the Order with our return, so we have another enemy."

"What do you mean?" Dennis Creevey asked. Dennis was a member of the new Ministerial department, the Department for the Introduction to the Magical World, and had joined the new DA after his brother had been killed at the Battle of Hogwarts, and whose name had been left off any memorial from that battle.

"The Order has many members that are intertwined within the Ministry, so they must be taken care of in order for us to achieve our goal," Harry said. "I don't mean killing," he added, seeing the worried faces around the room. "But there might be at some point, we can not be afraid to do whatever is necessary for the survival of this world, and I don't just mean the magical world."

"We are not asking you all to become murderers like the Death Eaters," Hermione said, reassuring several of the group. "You should never take pleasure in causing death and destruction, for if you do then you have truly fallen. But we cannot be afraid to use drastic measures to fix this world, Dumbledore and his Order refused to truly fight back against Voldemort and the Death Eaters, allowing them to run rampart across this world. Instead of just wiping out that infestation, Dumbledore sought to 'redeem' the scum even though they were not worthy of redemption."

"So what is the plan?" Neville asked.

"As Harry has said, we are starting small," Hermione said. "Working our way into positions of power both in the Ministry and at Hogwarts. Those two locations are the key to our success; the Ministry is the 'legal' power in our world while Hogwarts is where we will influence the next generation. Dumbledore, as Headmaster, was in the perfect position to make sure that the pureblood bigotry was wiped out by just punishing Snape and Malfoy's ilk but he did nothing. He allowed Snape and Malfoy to act like Death Eaters in training while at Hogwarts, and made us suffer the consequences." There were several murmurs and sounds of agreement that came from the group; they all had suffered under Snape and Malfoy's yoke during their time at Hogwarts. "It will take time before we are ready to make our moves but slowly we are making progress and soon we will be ready to take control. We ask you that have a little more patience."

"Harry, Hermione, we stood with you during the War and since then," Neville said. "And you have yet to steer us wrong, so we're with you." The others made sounds of agreement.

"Thank you," Harry said. "We will contact you all when another meeting is scheduled, but until then just keep doing your jobs to the best of your abilities."

It had been two months since the meetings of the two hidden factions that had shaped or hoped to shape the future of the magical world. The creation of the Department of the Introduction to the Magical World had been slow going, as the Ministry dragged their feet in finding qualified employees to staff the department. The funders of the department, namely Harry, Hermione, Neville, Susan and Daphne, had made sure that they were included in the staffing process. They wanted to make sure that the staff of the department were the right sort of people, they wanted muggleborns or half-bloods that had spent time in the muggle world in order to ensure a smoother transition. Of course the 'old crowd' of the Ministry had fought this but since Harry, Hermione, Neville, Susan and Daphne were the ones funding the department they made sure that they had complete control of the staffing.

The changes that Harry, Hermione and Neville had started in the previous term at Hogwarts had continued to slowly pave a way through decades of House tensions. The seminars that Hermione had begun were a major success for the muggleborns and muggle-raised students, the Seeking lessons that Harry had started were breaking down barriers between the Quidditch teams and the DA was also a roaring success. McGonagall had come to Harry and Hermione's quarters one night in early February and told the couple that the previous term was the smoothest that she had dealt with in all her years of being a Professor. The elderly Professor missed Hermione's muttered comment, "If Dumbledore had done his job properly, we wouldn't have too," as she walked away from the Potters.

"So where do you want to go?" Harry asked Hermione as the pair made their way down from their quarters to the Great Hall.

"Surprise me," Hermione giggled.

"All right then, but after breakfast, you are going to need to get changed," Harry said. "Nothing like that," he added seeing Hermione's surprised look. "Calm that filthy mind Hermione, you need to change into some regular clothes. I was thinking that we could go into London for the day, we haven't been in the city for years."

"That's a wonderful idea," Hermione gasped. "I've always wanted to visit the London Eye, though do you think that McGonagall will let us go? I mean, there is a Hogsmeade visit today."

"Don't worry about that, it is all taken care of," Harry chuckled. "I've spoken with Minerva and she said that we won't be needed to escort the students to the village or back to the castle. We'll have the entire day together, and we can spend it all alone."

"That sounds wonderful," Hermione whispered as she leaned into her husband's side. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

"Its me who should be asking that same question to you," Harry said, looking down at Hermione. "I don't know what I did to deserve such a gorgeous, loving, caring woman like you."

"You know that we could go back and forth on this all day," Hermione smiled, shaking her head. "Both of us believe that we don't deserve the other, let's just agree to disagree like always."

"I never seem to win an argument against you," Harry chuckled.

"Damn straight, and don't you forget it," Hermione chided, poking Harry in the chest with a finger. "Now, shall we away good sir?"

"Yes we shall," Harry grinned as he threaded his arm in Hermione's and the couple made their way into the Great Hall.

"Hermione!" a familiar and not very welcome voice cried out from near the Staff Table. It was Ron.

"What is he doing here?" Hermione hissed.

"No clue," Harry answered.

"Ronald, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked as the Potters reached the Staff Table.

"Well, we haven't seen each other in a long time and I was thinking that maybe we could have lunch or something in the village today?" Ron asked.

"Ron, you do realize what day it is?" Harry asked, his eyes narrowing in on Ron's blue eyes.

"Yeah, it's a Hogsmeade weekend, so what?"

"Ronald, it also happens to be Valentine's Day, and I am going to spend the day with my husband," Hermione said.

"I know that but I was hoping to spend time with my two best friends," Ron said, a hard and bitter edge creeping into his voice. "Though, those two _best_ friends did abandon me all those years ago."

"Look Ronald, we are sorry that you feel the way you do," Harry said. "But we are not sorry for leaving. I needed to get away from Britain for a while. After the battle, I knew that I wouldn't have a moment's peace; everyone would be clamoring for a piece of me. I needed…"

"We needed," Hermione interrupted Harry. "We explained all this to you months ago Ronald. Harry and I are married, we have been married for over a year now and I am going to go on a date with my husband. Perhaps we can all get together another time."

"So that's how it's going to be eh Harry?" Ron growled, ignoring Hermione. "You run away like a coward those years ago because you say you didn't want the fame and glory, please. And look now, you come back and everyone is clamoring for a piece of you again. Why didn't you just stay away, we didn't need you Potter!"

Harry arched an eyebrow his former friend. "Really? Well, if you felt that way, why did you come here and ask my wife and I to spend time with you?" he asked, stressing the word 'wife', and took some satisfaction in watching Ron flinch.

"Perhaps this conversation should be concluded away from the students?" McGonagall asked as she stepped between the trio.

"There's no need for that Headmistress, Ronald was just leaving, weren't you Ronald?" Hermione said with a pointed look at the Weasley.

"Fine but this isn't over you two," Ron growled as he stalked out of the Great Hall. "It's not over by a long shot."

"So then Mr. Potter, shall we leave then?" Hermione suggested. Harry nodded.

"Sorry about the entertainment Headmistress," Harry apologized. "We shall return in time for dinner." McGonagall could only nod as the Potters left the Great Hall.

With a pop, the Potters appeared in the Apparition Point in Diagon Alley and instantly cast **Notice-Me-Not Charms** upon themselves to avoid being mobbed by the crowds gathered in the alley. They slipped out of the Alley and through the Leaky Cauldron and out into wider London. The couple spent the day just being a couple, walking around the city of London seeing the sights and enjoying their company.

"That was wonderful Harry," Hermione whispered as the couple returned to their quarters in Hogwarts. "Thank you love."

"Anything for you Hermione," Harry chuckled.

"You know I really should reward you for such a marvelous day," Hermione mused, tapping a slim finger against her lips. The atmosphere in the room changed suddenly and both parties felt it. "Ah, I know," she smiled. Harry noticed that Hermione's gait had changed from light to like that of a predator stalking its prey. He couldn't keep his eyes from roaming all over his wife's body; she was as gorgeous to him as their wedding day. A shiver ran up Harry's spine as he locked eyes with Hermione. Her normally bright brown eyes had darkened to a milk chocolate and the tilt of her lips caused Harry's blood to broil in his veins.

Hermione's smirk deepened at the reaction she was causing her husband to suffer. With nary a flick of her wand, Hermione's heavy coat vanished and her light red sweater and blue jeans shimmered and changed shape into a very familiar outfit. While Harry's blood might have been broiling from his wife's look, it was now boiling over at the sight of Hermione in her (and his) favorite lingerie; a deep red bra and panty that contrasted beautifully with Hermione's lightly tanned skin.

A low throaty growl erupted from deep in Harry's chest as he surged toward his wife. Hermione squealed in delight as Harry lifted her in his arms and began carrying her toward their bedroom. Locking her legs around Harry's waist, Hermione lowered her face to Harry's and sealed their lips together. Harry groaned as he felt his jacket and sweater vanish, then Hermione's nails rake down his chest causing him to gasp in pleasure. Hermione took advantage, plunging her tongue into Harry's mouth and intertwining it with Harry's own.

Harry paused when he felt his legs impact with the foot of their bed. Cupping Hermione's butt, he tossed her onto the bed. She landed with a soft oomph and looked up at Harry with stunned eyes, though still dark with desire and lust. Harry gave her a lop-sided smile that his father had been famous for and one that sent shivers racing down Hermione's spine, it was a smile that only she got to see, something that Hermione was eternally grateful for. Hermione's tongue darted out to moisten her lips as Harry stripped down to his boxers and climbed onto the bed.

"You don't know how much I love when you wear that," Harry growled in Hermione's ear, as he hovered above her, supported by his arms and legs. Hermione felt like a caged animal, trapped and confined, and she loved it.

"Oh really, then maybe I should wear it more often," Hermione whispered, her voice dripping with lust as she wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and pulled him down for another pulse-pounding kiss. Harry dropped his hips to meet those of his wife, causing Hermione to gasp in pleasure as she felt the evidence of Harry's arousal pressing against her own. Harry took advantage of his free mouth to plant open-mouthed kisses down Hermione's neck, sucking lightly at the pulse point beneath her ear.

*****************************Lemon Start, skip to next break*********************************

As Hermione arched her back, Harry snuck a hand beneath her and with a flick of his wrist, unsnapped her bra. Hermione shrugged, sliding the straps off her shoulders and then tossed the confining garment across the room. Harry's hands slid down Hermione's sides, lightly grazing her smooth skin. The rough fingertips of her husband's hands were leaving goosebumps into their wake as they made their way up from her waist to cup her breasts. Hermione moaned lightly as she felt Harry's thumbs gently circle her nipples.

"Oh Harry," Hermione gasped as she felt the warm and wet touch of Harry's tongue against her breast. Harry grinned, hearing Hermione respond to his seductions never failed to send his blood racing. Laying over salvo of open-mouthed kisses down her stomach. Reaching his goal, Harry took a deep breath of his favorite scent in the world, a mixture of dry parchment, vanilla and something that just screamed Hermione. He looked up his wife's body to see her looking back down at him, her eyes nearly black with lust. Grinning smugly, Harry slid his hands down to Hermione's hips and slowly peeled the sopping wet pair of red knickers that hid what Harry considered his greatest treasure.

Tossing Hermione's soaked knickers to join the bra, Harry gently spread apart Hermione's legs to revel his wife's most intimate part. Leaning slowly forward, Harry breathed out slowly, smirking at the reaction that came from Hermione.

"Please Harry, don't do this," Hermione whimpered as she struggled to contain herself.

"Do what dear?" Harry taunted as he blow sharply directly onto the small pink ball that was peeking out at the apex of Hermione's lips. Hermione howled in pleasure as the cold air contrasted brilliantly with the heat pouring from her pussy.

"You are not doing this to me again," Hermione growled as she wrapped her legs around Harry's head and grabbed Harry by his unruly hair. "Do your husbandly duties or else!" she snapped before forcing Harry's face in between her legs.

Harry's chuckle sent delicious vibrations racing up and down Hermione's spine. "As you wish," he hissed, his tongue vibrating. Hermione howled in pleasure as she was reminded that the destruction of the Horcrux in Harry's scar did not remove his Parseltongue talent.

"Harry!" Hermione wailed out as her mind melted into goo as Harry's tongue danced and played her core like a fiddle. Her release gushed from her center and washed over Harry's face. Panting heavily, Hermione struggled to lift her head and look down at her husband. His cheeks and lower face was glistening with the remnants of her appreciation of his talents. "That never gets old," Hermione heaved, taking a breath between each word.

"Thank you love," Harry grinned, wiping his face with a hand. "Merlin, you look so beautiful," he added taking in Hermione's flushed appearance, her skin seemed to glow from within and her hair was disheveled and splayed across the pillow like melted caramel.

A slightly darker flush appeared on Hermione's cheeks. She never did get over the fact that Harry felt that she was beautiful. "Come here," she whispered huskily, beckoning her husband with a crooked finger. Harry crawled up Hermione's body, laying kisses all over her skin. Hermione groaned as she felt a warmth pool in her stomach once more. "Enough teasing," Hermione growled as she grabbed Harry's chin with her hand and forced him up to her. Her other hand crept down Harry's chest and stomach, she enjoyed feeling the fluttering of his muscles at her touch, until she reached her goal, Harry's cock.

Harry's mouth fell open in a pant as Hermione wrapped her hand around his cock. His panting grew in pace as Hermione's hand glided up and down his shaft. "Damnit Hermione," Harry gasped as Hermione rubbed her thumb against the head of his cock. Looking down at his wife, he saw the smug little smirk that was plastered on her face. She was really enjoying this, and he wasn't about to complain either.

"Oh no, you had your fun," Hermione whispered. "Now it's my turn."

Harry groaned as Hermione tightened her grip on Harry's member and sped up her strokes. Harry's mouth fell open and pleasure surged through his body at Hermione's motions.

"Come on now Harry," Hermione taunted. Harry could hear the smug pleasure in her voice. "Surely you can last longer than this."

"Not when it's you," Harry growled. He climbed on top of Hermione and lined himself up, Hermione looked up at her husband with lust filled eyes which then rolled up into the back of her head as Harry surged his hips forward and sheathed himself within her. Harry's gasp shuttered audibly as he entered his wife. It like divine, as always. After a brief moment of enjoying the sensation of being joined once more, Harry slowly began to withdraw from Hermione until only his tip remained embedded in her. Hermione whimpered as Harry slowly reinserted himself deep in her channel.

"Please Harry, don't do this," Hermione gasped as she felt Harry's cock brush against an extremely sensitive spot inside her.

"Don't do what Hermione?" Harry growled in his wife's ear as he continued to slowly fuck his wife.

"Please Harry, I can't take this, please just do it."

"Do what love?"

"FUCK ME!" Hermione screamed. Harry grinned in triumph as he slammed his hips down onto Hermione's. Hermione howled in pleasure as Harry began thrusting into her at a quickening pace but with each thrust he seemed to brush against her special spot, sending lightning blots of pleasure shooting up her spine and causing stars to flash in her eyes. Her cries quickly dissolved into moans of incomprehensible jumbles of words.

"I'm getting close Hermione," Harry groaned as he felt the pressure begin to build in his lower stomach.

"Me too love," Hermione moaned. "Oh, oh, so good. Right there," she babbled as Harry continued to thrust faster and faster. Soon his thrusting became erratic as he tried to stave off his release in order to ensure that Hermione met hers. And the signs were all there, Hermione's panting grew quicker and quicker, her legs began trembling as they struggled to hold themselves around Harry's hips.

Harry leant down and whispered deeply in Hermione's ear, "Go ahead Hermione, let go. Cum for me."

Hermione howled as she felt the pressure in her lower stomach expand and then explode. "HARRRYY!" she screamed as her core let loose and her release covered Harry's cock and both of their thighs.

Harry groaned harshly as the undulating muscles of Hermione's core caused him to lose control and send his seed deep into his wife's core. Harry's arms trembled as all his energy seemed to flow from his body, catching himself from falling directly onto his wife, Harry pulled himself out of Hermione and fell to the bed at her side.

"I love you," Hermione murmured sleepily as she cuddled into Harry's side. Harry smiled and pressed his lips to her sweaty forehead.

"I know," he answered in a whisper as the couple fell into a restful sleep.

***********End Lemon***********

* * *

"Ah Hermione, Harry, a moment please?" McGonagall asked as the Potters made ready to leave the Staff Table.

"Of course Headmistress," Hermione answered for the duo. "What can we do for you?"

"As you both know, another Hogsmeade weekend is approaching, and I was hoping that you two would be willing to act as chaperones for the visit?" she asked. "Since this is the last scheduled visit of the year, I was planning on allowing the first and second years to be allowed to visit the village as well but that would mean we would need more Professors to accompany the students."

Harry looked down at his wife. She looked back up at him and then nodded. "That will be fine Headmistress," Hermione replied. "What time will you be releasing the students?"

"After breakfast on Saturday morning as usual," McGonagall answered. Harry and Hermione nodded and made their way out of the Great Hall.

The Saturday of the Hogsmeade weekend arrived quickly for the residents of Hogwarts and with an immense sense of excitement coming from the younger students who would be visiting the village for the first time. The excitement was beginning to affect the older students as well.

"So then husband, are you ready to go?" Hermione asked.

Harry nodded. "Wish that Dumbledore had let us go to the village when we were in our first or second years," he said. "You would think that young children away from home for the first time would love a chance to visit the village, or have their parents meet them there. Why aren't there any parents' days at Hogwarts?"

"I don't know," Hermione answered as the pair made their way through the Entrance Hall toward the front doors of the castle. "Perhaps Dumbledore tried to make sure that muggleborns weren't left out, since their parents can't come or see the castle."

"I seriously doubt that Dumbledore would have been so equal," Hermione groused. "You know that Dumbledore might have said all the right things but he sure as bloody hell didn't do the right things."

"Enough thinking about Dumbledore and dark things Hermione," Harry said. "It is a beautiful day, we are together and let's us enjoy this time together."

Hermione gave her husband a small smile and laced her fingers with Harry's.

"So what would you like to do today?" Harry asked as the Potters entered the village of Hogsmeade.

"I don't know, why don't we just wander around the village," Hermione suggested. "I'm sure that some of the younger students will wander off themselves, so we'll have to corral them back up."

"Sounds like a plan," Harry chuckled. "Perhaps we should check out Tomes and Scrolls for any stragglers, shouldn't we?"

"A brilliant plan," Hermione smiled brightly as she dragged Harry off toward the village's bookstore.

The couple spent the day wandering around the village, revisiting the buildings and memories that they had gained during their years at Hogwarts, as well as chasing away the younger students from the Shrieking Shack and the Forbidden Forest, or the older students away from the Hog's Head.

"Harry?" Hermione asked as the couple reached High Street after chasing some fifth years away from the Hog's Head.

"I know, I feel it too," Harry answered, his wand slipping out of his wrist holster and into his hand. Over the years, both Hermione and Harry had gained a sense that warned them if danger was approaching; many people had the ability, the feeling of the hairs on the back of his or her neck standing up. But most people ignored the feeling; Harry and Hermione having fought through a very bloody and cruel war, never disregarded the feeling. "Contact the others, we need to make sure that that students get back to the castle and don't get caught up."

Hermione's wand shot out of her sleeve and she sent several silver darts speeding down High Street.

"**Sonorus!**" Harry growled. "Attention students, it's time to return to the castle NOW!" he commanded. "Perfects, Heads, please make sure you take a head count of all your fellow students. Any student found off the grounds after five minutes will be serving a nightly detention with Professor Granger for the rest of the year! Now move it!"

There was a mad scramble for the gravel path that connected Hogsmeade to the castle as roughly two hundred students came spilling out of the village and racing back toward the castle.

"That was quite clever of you Mr. Potter, threatening the students with detention to get them out of harm's way," an accented voice chuckled from the shadows of a large oak tree just off the path. "But it won't be enough I'm afraid, you see we knew that you would want to save as many of the children as possible and we planned for that."

But instead of the shock and scared faces that the man had been expecting, Harry and Hermione just chuckled. "You Dark wizards are so predictable," Hermione giggled. "Of course you would go after some defenseless children, we knew that you would try to attack the students."

"So its your _friends_ who are walking into a trap," Harry finished, as he heard spellfire, screaming and shouting coming from the entrance to the village. "So why don't you come out of the shadows? Let us see your face, or are you a coward?"

Harry and Hermione grinned when they heard the low growl that came from the tree line. "Fine then, you wish to see the face of your destroyer, so be it," the man snarled stepping from the shadows. He was slightly above-average height with dark blue eyes and blonde hair, wearing a black suit that looked somewhat like a muggle military uniform, with its many pockets and trimmings. "Once I kill the famed Potters, the name of Ventsduchaos will be feared throughout the world!" The man's wand shot up and with a roar, two **Killing Curses** spat from the wand toward Harry and Hermione.

The Potters dove clear of the two curses and rolled to a kneeling position. Cries of **Bombarda** filed the air as the two **Blasting Hexes** shot from Harry and Hermione's wands toward the attacking wizard. The wizard parried the two hexes with a glowing white shield that sent the two spells screaming off into the forest behind him. Two trees were reduced to splinters when the spells impacted their trunks.

"Get him in a crossfire," Harry muttered to Hermione as the Potters scrambled to their feet. Hermione nodded and the pair began to spread themselves out in order to encircle the attacking man.

"I don't think so," the man grinned. He raised his wand and fired a series of red sparks into the air. Several pops broke the small silence that had fallen over the village. A half dozen black-grabbed wizards and witches appeared around Harry and Hermione.

"Back to back," Harry shouted as he blocked a nasty looking crimson curse from one of the wizards. He felt Hermione answer by slamming her back to his. Their wands flashed and slashed through the air sending a salvo of **Cutting **and **Piercing Curses** toward their opponents. The wizards and witches of Ventsduchaos were skilled however, as they blocked and dodged the spells with ease.

"Is that all the famed Potter couple can muster?" the first Ventsduchaos wizard taunted. "It seems that your heralded defeat of Voldemort was luck not skill."

"Keep telling yourself that," Harry muttered as he conjured a stonewall to block a vivid-blue curse speeding toward him. The wall shattered into dozens of fragments but Harry, with nary a flick of his wand, **Banished** the shards back toward the followers of Ventsduchaos. The wizards raised shields to block the flying missiles but they did not see the **Piercing Curses** hidden in the shadows of the shards. Four members of the Ventsduchaos cried out in pain as they fell to the ground clutching holes in their legs or stomachs.

"Little help over here honey," Hermione called out as she deflected or dodged several nasty looking curses coming from the remaining Ventsduchaos members.

"Coming dear," Harry answered as he added his spells to his wife's barrage. Within a minute, another two Ventsduchaos members were bleeding out on the ground. The ringleader gave the pair a vicious snarl before vanishing with a crack, along with his two surviving accomplices.

"Come on Harry, we should check on the others," Hermione said. Harry nodded curtly and the pair took off toward the entrance to the village. It might have been faster to Apparate but they didn't know the situation, and did not want to jump in blind and get ambushed.

"Neville!" Harry called out as he and Hermione reached the beginning of the path that led away from the village and up to the castle. Both Harry and Hermione were happy to see that Neville was all right, along with the other teachers that had responded to Hermione's message.

"Harry! Hermione!" the Herbology Professor called out, waving to his two friends and colleagues. "You two are ok then?"

"Of course," Harry chuckled. "It would take more than just a couple pathetic Dark wizard wannabes to finish us off."

"Did you get all the students back to the castle?" Hermione asked. Neville nodded. "Any injuries?"

"Nothing serious," Neville answered. "Some of the younger ones will probably need a Dreamless Sleep Potion tonight but I think they all will be ok. I did say that if anyone wanted to talk about what happened, that our doors would be open for them."

"Good," Harry said. "We got lucky though, no one was killed, aside from the bad guys."

"We should get back up to the castle, McGonagall is probably going to want to talk with us," Neville said. Harry and Hermione nodded. "Professor Sinistra, do you mind insuring that the survivors do not escape and contact the DMLE to pick them up?"

The Astronomy Professor nodded and turned to several other Professors and villagers for help in securing the prisoners while Harry, Hermione and Neville made their way up to the castle.

"Harry, Hermione, Neville, what happened?" McGonagall cried as the trio entered the entrance hall of the castle. "Why do I have nearly two hundred students screaming about a Dark wizard attack?"

"It was just that Headmistress," Harry said. "Roughly a score of wizards and witches appeared in the village and began casting dangerous spells at ourselves and the students. They called themselves followers of Ventsduchaos, which as you can probably figure is French for 'Winds of Chaos'."

"Harry and Hermione faced off against roughly a half dozen opponents, holding them back from coming after the rest of us and the students," Neville said. The sound of rushing footsteps caused Neville to stop, the four veterans of the Second Magical Blood War turned to see a familiar red haired man running up the front steps of the castle, trailed by several other red robed wizards and witches.

"Auror Weasley," McGonagall said.

"Professor," Ron panted as he caught his breath. "We got here as quickly as we could. One of the villagers Floo'd the Ministry about the attack. I was told that some of the Professors were part of the defense of the village and captured some of the attackers?"

"Yes Ron," Neville said. "Professor Sinistra was in charge of securing the prisoners while Harry, Hermione and I informed Professor McGonagall what happened. They should be at the edge of the wards, didn't you pass them on the way here?"

Ron frowned as he looked back at his fellow Aurors. "Ah yes, we did see Professor Sinistra on our way up here," Ron answered. "I left a couple of Aurors stationed with them. Those strange grabbed people were the prisoners then?"

"Yes," Harry replied. "They called themselves Ventsduchaos."

"What?" Ron asked. "What in the bloody hell does that mean?"

"Honestly Ronald," Hermione huffed. "It's French for 'Winds of Chaos'. Obviously they are trying to model themselves after Voldemort, which is French for 'Flight from Death'."

"So these bastards are trying to be the new Voldemort?" Ron growled.

"Language Mr. Weasley," McGonagall snapped. "While you are no longer a student of this school, you are in the presence of some and I will not have that type of language being used in the face of children."

"My apologies Professor," Ron said. "It's just the fact that these _people_ are trying to threaten us again with death and terror."

"I understand your anger and frustration Mr. Weasley but you can not allow your anger to cloud your judgment," McGonagall stated. "I trust that your co-workers will take care of these people?"

"Of course Headmistress," Ron answered. "We might have to call you three into the Ministry for a report on what happened."

"Of course Ron," Harry answered. "We await your owl."

The red haired Auror gave his former friends a curt nod before spinning smartly on his heel and leading his squad out of the castle. Harry exchanged a glance with both Neville and Hermione, a glance that McGonagall missed.

The news that Dark wizards and witches had attacked Hogsmeade made its rounds up and down England in record time. The Ministry was bombarded with owls and Howlers demanding that the Ministry take care of the problem immediately. Word had also leaked out of the village that Harry and Hermione had defeated seven of the evil witches and wizards, and it became commonplace to see dozens of owls swooping through the Great Hall toward Harry or Hermione bearing thank you notes.

* * *

Three weeks after the attack, Harry, Hermione and Neville were summoned to the Ministry, as the Wizengamont had finally gathered to discuss what was to be done in the face of this new threat.

"I will have order!" Chief Warlock Ogden ordered, banging his gavel sharply on the podium before him. "You are all Lords and Ladies of Noble Houses, not some squabbling children fighting over which toy to play with. Now, Director Bones has a preliminary report that she has prepared for us about what the DMLE is doing to combat this new threat. Director Bones, the floor is yours."

"Thank you Chief Warlock," Susan said as she stepped down from her family's seat to the chamber's floor. "Esteemed members of the Wizengamont, as you are all aware three weeks ago, a group of previously unknown Dark witches and wizards attacked the village of Hogsmeade while the students of Hogwarts were visiting. Luckily, none of the students suffered anything more serious than a case of shock. Several villagers were injured and treated by the staff of Hogwarts. The other side was not so lucky," Susan said with a smirk. "Several of the attackers were captured thanks to the efforts of the staff of Hogwarts, including Lord and Lady Potter-Black, and Lord Longbottom. And we have since learned that these Dark wizards and witches are members of a group called the Ventsduchaos, or Winds of Chaos."

"Is that it?" a snide voice called down from the gallery. "It has been three weeks since the attack and all you've learned is what these _people_ call themselves?"

"No that is not all we've learned Lord Nott," Susan answered sharply, pining the elderly man with a gaze reminiscent of her aunt. "It seems that the aims of Ventsduchaos are not truly different from those of Voldemort in the sense of separating our world from the rest of the world. They do not have any prejudices against half-blood or muggleborns, as members of the group come from all three blood groups. The members that were captured come from the continent and no one in the group has any idea on the numbers that Ventsduchaos may have."

"So you didn't find out much of anything, is that right?" a sharp female voice came from the gallery. "Aside from learning their name and one of their goals, we still don't know anything about them."

"While I wouldn't have put it that way," Harry spoke up. "But Lady Greengrass has a point. I would have hoped that you would have more information for us than just that."

"My apologies Lord Potter but these Ventsduchaos are very well-organized," Susan admitted. "It seems that the group that you captured were brand new to the organization and did not know much anything truly of worth. It seems that while they seek total separation from the muggle world, the Ventsduchaos have modeled themselves after various muggle revolutionary groups, fighting back against what they believe to be an oppressive regime. They believe that they are freedom fighters, seeking to free the masses from a government that could destroy our world."

"How dare they!" several voices cried out.

"Surely they realize that these attacks will do nothing more than cause more trouble and increase the possibility that this world is discovered?" Hermione pointed out. "The muggles are not so clueless as some might think they are. They must have certainly noticed the destruction that both wars caused to the world, and have been trying to figure out what happened. Sooner or later, this world will be known to the muggles."

"The Muggles are ignorant swine," sneered a pale and blonde man from the gallery. "They will never find out about us."

"You would be wrong about that Malfoy," Harry said, his voice ringing sharp and clear around the room. "The outside world outnumbers the magical world nearly 1,000:1. The muggle population of Great Britain alone outnumber the magical _world_ nearly 10:1."

"Are you then agreeing with these Dark wizards and witches, that we should completely separate ourselves from the rest of the world Lord Potter-Black?" Susan asked sharply.

"Of course not," Harry shot back. "In fact, we must all realize that this world will become known to the muggles sooner rather than later, and we must do all that is possible to insure that this _reveal_ is done in such a way that benefits us as much as it would the muggles."

"Director Bones, I hope that you are not accusing my husband of being in league with these Ventsduchaos?" Hermione snapped, glaring down at the dark red haired woman.

"Of course not Lady Potter," Susan answered, meeting Hermione's eyes. "I was just asking what Lord Potter-Black meant by his statements."

"What I mean is that we must take advantage of our position," Harry said. "We should slowly begin to reveal ourselves to the world at large, using our gifts to help. People fear what they do not understand, and that fear can lead to hate and anger. We have the ability to do an immense amount of good for the entire world, and if we can show the muggles that we are nothing more than people with special abilities, perhaps we will be able to avoid what many fear would happen if we were to be revealed to the muggles."

"And what would that be?"

"Total destruction," Harry answered solemnly.

"You surely don't mean?" Ogden asked, his lined and weathered face ashen.

"Yes," Harry said. "The muggles could easily wipe out the magical world if they see us as a threat, we must be extremely careful in how react to this threat. We must stop these Ventsduchaos from exposing this world, and we have to insure that if this world is _exposed_, we make a good first impression and show the muggles that we are not a threat to them."

"As if those muggles could pose a threat to us?" Malfoy sneered once again. Harry noticed that a small percentage of the members of the Wizengamont were nodding along with Malfoy.

"Did you not hear what Lord Potter-Black said?" Neville called out. "The muggles in Great Britain alone outnumber our entire world by 10:1, if we were to take up arms or even make a threatening gesture, we would be wiped out within days."

The chamber erupted into shouts and screams as the situation became clear to the majority of the Wizengamont.

"Then we must strike first!" Malfoy shouted. "We must show those pathetic muggles that we are superior and that they should bow down to us."

"And that would just sign our death warrants," Harry snarled. "They would wipe us out with ease."

"Gentlemen please, I think we are getting away from the real issue here," Susan Bones called out, bringing the attention of the chamber to her once more. "First we need to find out who these Ventsduchaos are and stop them, then we can figure out what to do about the muggles."

"Surely we have nothing to worry about, with the Man-Who-Won back with us," an unfamiliar voice cried from the gallery. Harry frowned at the voice's suggestion, and quickly became disgusted at the wave of support the person gained. He rose from his seat.

"Enough!" his voice boomed through the chamber, causing it to fall deathly silent. "I know what you are all thinking," he began, stepping from his seat and down toward the chamber floor. "You are all thinking that, like Dumbledore, I'll be the one who will fight back the Darkness and shadows by myself. Well you are wrong, I refuse to be your sole hero, or scapegoat when things go wrong. I will fight for what is right, and to protect my friends and family but I will not be Dumbledore. This Ministry and body must learn to stand on its own two feet and not to solely rely on heroes. You won't always be so lucky as to have a family willing to sacrifice their lives in order to defeat a Dark Lord." Harry noticed several of the members of the Wizengamont flinch at his subtle reminder of what it cost him to defeat Voldemort.

"But Lord Potter-Black, you are the most powerful wizard in Britain, you are the only one who…"

"Only one who can do what?" Harry cut off the man. "Need I remind you that there are dozens of people in this very chamber who helped defeat Voldemort and his Death Eaters? I was not the only one fighting, and I better not be the only one fighting in this war."

"Of course not Lord Potter-Black," Susan said. "My Aurors are much better equipped than they were during the Second War, we have nearly 200 hundred Aurors full-time along with another 75 in the Academy. I do move that this body enhance the budget to the DMLE to ensure that we have the resources available to fight these terrorists."

"Very well Director Bones," Ogden said. "Please write up a budget report on what you would need and submit it and we will look it over at the next meeting next month." Susan nodded, though Harry could tell that she was not happy at the decision. "I believe that we have finished with our business for this meeting, please remember that our next meeting with be on June 14th at 9am. Good day to you all."

As the members of the Wizengamont filed out of the chambers, Harry caught the eyes of Hermione, Neville, Daphne, Susan and several others and nodded at them all. They all gave curt nods in return.

* * *

"Thank you all for coming again," Harry said, taking his seat at the head of the table in the basement kitchen of Grimmauld Place. "As you know from the Wizengamont meeting today, we are once more under the threat of a group of Dark witches and wizards calling themselves the Ventsduchaos. Now these terrorists are nothing like Voldemort or his Death Eaters but then again, we did not see the beginnings of that assault. What we need is to make sure that these Ventsduchaos do not plunge the world into another war. We all know that the outside world knows more about this world then most magicals are willing to admit. And if another war breaks out, then Her Majesty's government will have no choice but to step in and take control of the situation. And if that happens, all out war will break out."

"Harry, what can we do though? These Ventsduchaos are a complete unknown," Dennis pointed out. "Yes, you, Hermione and Neville captured some last month but we weren't able to get any good information from them."

"True it will be very difficult," Hermione admitted in lieu of her husband. "But we can not fail in this. We all know that these Dark wizards and witches will do anything to achieve their goals, and we already know their main goal so we are going to have to entice them into coming to us. We will make them focus on Britain and on us and we will be ready. I believe it is time we begin pushing through some more favorable laws, if the Ventsduchaos want to completely separate the two worlds, then we should start doing the opposite. We bring the worlds together."

"What's our first move then?" Daphne asked.

"I believe its time that Lord and Lady Potter introduce themselves to the outside world," Hermione said.

**A/N: Well there you have it, the newest chapter of _Two Sides_, hope you all enjoyed it. The lemon scene was my first, so be gentle also let me know if I should add further scenes like it in the future. I will not be making this story into a smut-fic though, so don't expect scenes like that every chapter. Please let me know what you all thought of the chapter as a whole as well. Also as a food for thought topic, if you could add more information into one area of the _Harry Potter_ series what would you add on too? I don't mean relationships or who lives/dies but plot information. I for one would have loved more information about Harry's family, the Potters. I mean all we get is James, Lily, and two named ancestors. If _Harry Potter_ is as much a series about family, as it is about good over evil, shouldn't we know more about the protagonist's family? Let me know, and til next time,**

**S.R.W.M.O**

**A/N: Since I was disappointed by JK's lack of information regarding Harry's family, I decided to create a family tree. Unfortunately the site I used can't put the entire tree into one page, so its broken up into three and I can't seem to be able to find a good PDF to HTML converter that would allow me to link it, so I've added a link to my blog which has the PDFs:jspencerfannon wordpress com/writing-posts/, just put periods in the spaces.**


	5. Worlds combining?

**Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is NOT MINE! If it was, well lets just say it wouldn't be one of the most popular novel series in world history, and the hero and heroine would have gotten together. Enjoy!**

"Mr. Blair, there is a young couple here asking to see you," the young secretary said, sticking her head into the office of 10 Downing Street.

"Do they have an appointment?" the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom asked, not looking up from the report from the Internal Revenue Service.

"No sir, but they say that the young man is a family friend, a great nephew of a Charlus Potter, class of '58 I believe is what he said?"

The Prime Minister looked up from his paperwork. "Send them in," he said gruffly. The secretary nodded and closed the door.

A moment later, there came a sharp knock at the door. "Enter," Blair called out. The door opened and two young people entered; both looked to be in their early twenties. The man had unruly black hair and striking green eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses, his female companion was a strikingly beautiful woman with wavy golden-brown hair and warm brown eyes.

"Thank you for seeing us Prime Minister," the man said with an easy and confident smile.

"Indeed, now you said you were family of Charlus'? I was not aware that he had any grandchildren," Blair asked, looking at the pair with a keen eye.

"Yes, I am a member of Charlus' family but not a direct descendent," the man said. "My name is Harry James Potter, and as your secretary has undoubtedly told you, I am Charlus Potter's great nephew, the grandson of his older brother, Andrew Potter. And this is my wife Hermione Jane Potter nee Granger."

"Charmed," Blair said, dipping his head to Hermione. "Now what exactly are you doing here?"

"Mr. Minister, what do you know of magic?" Hermione asked.

Blair stiffened. "I don't know what you are talking about," he answered.

"Please relax Mr. Minister, we mean you no harm," Harry said, raising his hands to show that they were empty. Hermione mirrored his actions. "We are here to insure that you are receiving the whole picture regarding the magical community that co-inhabits this world."

"What makes you think I do not have the whole picture?" Blair retorted.

"Because we both know that the Ministry of Magic is extremely incompetent," Harry said. "They might have improved in the past few years but they still feel that the muggle world is beneath them."

Blair frowned. "How do I know that you are not just trying to play with me?"

"Because Mr. Minister, Harry and I both know that our allegiance is to the Queen and Her government over everything," Harry answered. "And we know that the Ministry does not concern itself with following the Queen's laws."

Blair frowned deeply. "You are telling me that this secret society living on the Queen's land is not following the laws of their own country?"

"For the most part, the majority of magical people are law abiding citizens who just want to be left alone to live their lives," Harry explained. "But a small yet powerful minority has control of the Ministry, and those are the ones who think that muggle laws don't apply to them."

"I am sure you know of the incidents that suddenly stopped five years ago?" Hermione asked. "The Millennium Bridge, the barmy weather, the random killings that seemingly had no cause of death?"

"Fine, fine enough you two," Blair snapped. "You have proven that you are magicals, now what do you want?"

Harry and Hermione exchanged a look.

"We want to offer Her Majesty's help in bringing the magical world back under control," Harry said. "Hermione and I, along with our friends, know that the magical world will be found out within a matter of years, and if that happens without the right circumstances, the entire world could be plunged into war."

"Explain?" Blair demanded.

"A rough estimate of a world-wide magical population is about six and a quarter million," Harry said. "That might not sound like a lot but the vast majority of those six and a quarter million carry a deadly weapon and have the ability to appear and disappear in an instant. It would be the ultimate strike force. If the wizarding world believes that the outside world is a threat, it will fight back, and fight back hard."

"Yes, we know this already," said Blair, leaning back in his chair with a small smile.

"You do?" Hermione asked.

"Yes Lady Potter-Black, we do know and quite a bit more than you might think," a curt female voice said from behind Harry and Hermione. The two Potters whirled around, their hands darting for their wands. But they froze when two clicks resonated through the office.

"Please remove your hands from your sleeves, slowly," a second curt voice ordered. Harry and Hermione complied and raised their hands above their heads, empty.

"Do you truly have to use such theatrics M?" Blair groaned.

A gray haired woman stepped from the shadows near the door, a blonde man with fierce blue eyes at her side. The man had a gun trained on Harry, though both Potters could tell that he could switch targets to Hermione in an instant.

"Apologies Mr. Minister," the woman answered. Harry and Hermione had to blink, this woman was a contradiction; she had the same stern bearing as Professor McGonagall but the stature of Umbridge. "Stand down 007, the Potters are not a threat."

The blonde man holstered his weapon and slid back into the shadows, vanishing from sight as easily as if he had used a **Disillusionment Charm**.

"So Mr. and Mrs. Potter, you wish to help us, the _muggles_, against your own kind?" M asked.

"We don't consider ourselves one of them," Harry answered. "Hermione is a first generation witch and while my parents were magical, I was raised non-magical, and to the powers at large, that's just as bad as being a muggleborn. Also, we were betrayed by the ones we thought of as family and friends."

"So this is about revenge then? To get back at those who stabbed you in the back?"

"We would be lying is that was not part of our decision," Hermione admitted. "But it is not the main reason. We know that reveling the magical world improperly would plunge the world into global war."

"Yes, it would be disastrous if such a thing were to happen," M said. "From our reports, we know that you two have been at the forefront of a movement that would bring our two worlds together in a less shocking and potentially destructive way."

"We are," Harry said. "We are trying to drag the Ministry of Magic into the 21st century but there is a new threat that could destroy everything."

"We quite agree," M said. "Perhaps we can assist each other. Mr. Minister, I would like to invite these two to come back to my office to discuss a closer relationship, if you don't mind?"

"I have no issues with this," Blair said. "But I would like to speak with the Potters again at a later date."

"That is fine with us Mr. Minister," Harry said. "We don't have mobile phones so the easiest way to contact us would be through Gringotts bank."

"We are working on a faster way of contacting each other, since mobile phones won't work very well in magic-heavy environments," Hermione added. "Once it is finished, we hope that it will alleviate any communications concerns between our two communities."

"Very well," Blair said, though he did look put out at the fact that the Potters didn't have mobile phones.

"If you two would follow me, we have a car waiting," M said, gesturing for the Potters to follow her. The blonde man fell into a shadowing position behind the Potters as they followed M out of the Prime Minister's office and out to an idling black sedan with government plates.

No one spoke as the car made its way through downtown London, Harry and Hermione were quite content to allow the silence to continue, knowing that they wouldn't get any information from their two hosts. After a twenty-minute ride, the car pulled into an underground parking garage where Harry and Hermione were ushered out and to an elevator.

"Through here please," M said as the group exited the elevator in a very posh looking waiting room. The blonde man pushed open a red door that revealed an office that offered a very nice view of the Thames and London. "Have a seat."

Harry and Hermione took the offered seats while M sat behind the desk, and the man known as 007 took up a position behind the Potters.

"So this is MI6?" Harry commented, looking around the office. "Looks a lot like the films."

"Quite," M replied. "But I did not bring you here to discuss our smokescreens. As I said in the Minister's office, we know quite a bit about the magical community, much more than you might think. We like to keep tabs on the major players as well, which you two are at the top of our list."

Harry and Hermione blinked, not totally surprised that they were at the top of the British Secret Service's watch list.

"You two don't seem surprised?"

"Well we figure that if you know about the magical world, you would have information on its citizens," Hermione said. "It's what we would have done."

Now what exactly do you want?" Harry asked.

"I want to offer you assistance in bringing the unruly elements of the magical community to heel," M answered succinctly. "You are correct that if the revelation of the magical world is not done correctly and carefully, it would lead to a war that could span decades. We don't want that to happen but we would need your help in making sure it is done quietly and cleanly."

"Why would you need our help?" Hermione asked. "Especially if you have all this information on us to begin with."

"You two, along with your friends, are in the ideal position to help sway the masses into securing a peaceful transition," M replied. "Your plan will work but you will need more help than just your small group. There is a small division of Her Majesty's military that has been around since World War II; it is called the Sleeping Dragons, I know not very original but it is comprised of many former members of the magical community. In fact Lord Potter, your grandfather was once a Major in that very division."

"What?" Harry gaped. Hermione shot him a look before turning back to M.

"While your grandfather was a 'pureblood', your family has always defended the Empire," M said. "I will make sure that you receive your grandfather's file but we must get back on track. The Sleeping Dragons is our secret weapon against the possibility of a magical uprising; we were on a hair trigger five years ago before you defeated Lord Voldemort. Thank you for that as well."

"My pleasure," Harry deadpanned. "You're telling me that the government has an army read to invade the magical world, and my grandfather was a member!"

"Perhaps not an army but we do have men ready to answer Her Majesty's call," M answered. "But no one wishes for the situation to come to that. It would mean civil war and could bring the entire world to the brink of world war. We are hoping that your plan will work and we won't need to mobilize but your news of a new cabal of Dark witches and wizards could force our hand."

"The Ventsduchaos," Hermione provided. "We have only just learned about the group but from first glance they do not seem to pose as much as a threat as Voldemort and the Death Eaters did. The Ventsduchaos wish for total separation between the worlds while Voldemort wanted to rule the magical world and then move onto the outside world."

"That might be true," M said. "But a threat is still a threat, no matter how small it might seem." Harry and Hermione nodded at the advice. A knock came from the door. "Enter."

The secretary entered the office holding an inch-thick folder. "Here is the personnel file you requested ma'am."

"Thank you Ms. Moneypenny," M said, taking the folder. The secretary gave the blonde man a look as she left the office. "Here you are Mr. Potter, the service record for Andrew James Potter."

Harry took the folder gingerly. "Thank you," he said softly.

"No I believe our conversation has reached its end," M said. "We will be in contact of course. And please remember that the existence of the Sleeping Dragons is top-secret, if you tell anyone, you will be charged with treason."

"We understand," Harry answered. "Thank you again for this ma'am."

M nodded. "James will escort you out," she said.

"So are you really James Bond, the James Bond from the films and Fleming novels?" Harry asked.

The man chuckled. "Yes and no," he answered. "Every 00-agent is given a name when they become a full field agent. James Bond is the name given to the agent 007."

"So how many James Bond's have there been before you?" Hermione asked.

"That is classified, even I don't know," Bond responded.

"Sorry," Hermione apologized.

"It's fine Lady Potter," Bond said. "You wouldn't be the first to ask. Here you are Lord Potter, Lady Potter, take this elevator all the way to the lobby and you'll be escorted to a car which will drop you off wherever you wish."

"Thank you Mr. Bond," Harry said. "And tell your director thank you as well."

"I will pass that along," Bond said just before the elevator's doors closed.

"Can you believe that Her Majesty's government knows so much about the magical community?" Hermione asked when she and Harry returned to Grimmauld Place.

"Sort of," Harry admitted. "I knew that the government knew much more than the Ministry would be willing to admit but the scope and breadth of their knowledge blew me out of the water."

"I know!" Hermione exclaimed. "To think that Her Majesty's government has its own group of magical soldiers, and how close they were to invading the magical community."

"We really dodged a bullet back then," Harry said. "I can't help but wonder though what might have happened if Her Majesty's government had stepped in; who might have lived, would the war have even happened?"

"You can't think like that Harry, you can't think of the what ifs in life. You'll only drive yourself crazy," Hermione said sternly. "Don't go down that road again."

"I know," Harry sighed. He looked down at the folder that M had given him, the folder of his grandfather, a man that he had never even known the name of until now.

"I'll go get some tea started," Hermione said before giving Harry a soft kiss on the cheek and leaving for the kitchen.

Harry set the folder down on the desk and took a deep breath before opening it. Inside was a photo of a young man with unruly black hair and strong brown eyes along with a crooked smile that Harry had seen in photos of James Potter. Underneath the photo was a sheet that listed all of Andrew James Potter's statistics. His birthdate was listed as August 16, 1899; he enlisted in the British military at the age of 18 after graduating Hogwarts, and fought in the waning months of World War I. He stayed in the military through 1920s and 30s, reaching the rank of Major in 1938, where he was given command of a new division: the Sleeping Dragons.

It was noted that September of 1938, Major Andrew Potter married an Elizabeth Danielle Taylor in Edinburgh.

War broke out in Europe less than a year later and the newly formed Sleeping Dragon division was sent to the front almost immediately, trying to stem the flood of German aggression through they were horrendously outnumbered by the German mages under the command of Grindelwald. The Dragons saw combat in nearly every major battle throughout the war and did suffer significant casualties but no where near as devastating as their non-magical comrades.

When the war finally ended, here the reports stated that while Dumbledore did defeat Grindelwald, the Dragons aided him immensely in his assault on the Dark Wizard's fortress in the German Alps; Major Potter retired from the Army and returned to Britain and to his wife. Andrew then learned that his younger brother, Charlus, had become engaged to Dorea Violet Black. Andrew was stunned to find out about the engagement but even more so was the fact that Charlus and Dorea were soulmates as well.

The folder was sparse on the details of Andrew's life in the years following the war aside from the note that Andrew's parents, Harry's great-grandparents, passed away in 1958 when the magical community was ravaged by a strain of Dragon-Pox. Two years after that, Harry's father, James David Potter, was born. Another note said that it had been a difficult birth for Elizabeth Potter and that she and Andrew had been told that James would most likely be an only child.

"Here you go Harry," Hermione said, reappearing from the kitchen carrying a tray of tea. "Are you all right?"

"I'm ok," Harry said, taking the offered tea. "It's just I learned more about my family in that folder than from Sirius, Remus and Dumbledore combined. Why was I only told that I looked like my dad with my mum's eyes?" Harry broke off as his face crumpled and he started sobbing, the cup of tea falling to the floor with a crash. Hermione ignored the mess and wrapped her husband in her arms.

In her head, Hermione was cursing Dumbledore, Remus, McGonagall and anyone who claimed to be friends of James and Lily Potter, even Sirius due to the fact that they never told Harry about his family. They all claimed to have Harry's best interests at heart and yet they never told him about his family, as an orphan, it would have been the one thing that meant the most to him.

"It's ok Harry," Hermione whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of Harry's head. "Now you have the chance to learn all about your family. And not just your old family but a new one. A family that we make together."

"What?" Harry asked, looking up at Hermione with bloodshot eyes. Hermione felt her heart clench at the sight of her husband's ragged eyes.

"Harry I'm pregnant," she whispered.

"You're what?"

"You're going to be a father Harry."

"I'm going to be a dad?"

"Yes love, we're going to have a family."

"I'm going to be a dad?" Harry repeated, gazing directly into Hermione's watery eyes. She nodded. "I'm going to be a dad!" Harry cried, as he wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist and hoisted her into the air, twirling the pair around. "Hermione, I'm going to be a dad!"

"And I'm going to be a mum," Hermione giggled.

"We're going to be parents," Harry breathed heavily. "Oh Merlin, we're going to be parents Hermione. I'm so sorry, are you all right? I didn't hurt you or the baby did I?"

Hermione giggled once more, seeing Harry playing the role of a concerned father-to-be effortlessly was so cute. "Don't worry, I'm fine and so is our baby," Hermione soothed her now frantic husband. "It's much too early for me or the baby to be in any danger for a celebrating husband and father."

"Who know about you being pregnant?" Harry asked.

"Only you, me and mum," Hermione answered.

"Good," Harry said. "I know we can't keep this quiet for very long but the fewer people who know about this the better."

Hermione nodded.

"What about your dad Hermione? Doesn't he know?"

"Not yet," Hermione admitted. "I made mum promise that she wouldn't tell him. I wanted to tell them face-to-face but my mum knew that something was up when we last spoke. And you know that daddy still thinks of me as his little princess, he'll claim me a virgin even holding his grandchild."

Harry snorted. Nathan Granger was the father that Harry hoped to be, both he and Juliet were pediatric dentists and adored children. During their first year of self-exile, Harry and Hermione traveled to Australia to locate Hermione's parents and reverse the **Memory Charms** that Hermione had placed on them. The search for the Grangers had taken nearly five months, and when they had found the Wilkins, the names that Hermione had selected for her parents, needless to say the reunion did not go as smoothly as Hermione had hoped.

_"Mum? Dad?" Hermione's trembling voice asked. Harry slowly lowered the Elder Wand. He had convinced Hermione to let him use the fabled wand to reverse the charms. Hermione had initially refused; she didn't want to risk her parents' mental well being on such a temperamental wand. But when her attempt failed, Harry tried, and here we are._

_"Mum? Daddy?" Hermione repeated, her voice very weak._

_"Argh, my head," Nathan Granger groaned._

_"What happened?" Juliet moaned beside her husband._

_"Mum, dad, how do you feel?" Hermione asked._

_"Like I was just hit by a double-decker lorry and had a dozen root canals without any anesthetic," Nathan answered, rubbing his temples._

_"What was the last thing you remember mum, dad?"_

_"I had just called you down for tea, Hermione, and then…Hermione, where are we? This isn't our house in Cambridge," Juliet asked._

_Hermione opened her mouth but no sound came out._

_"Princess, what's going on?" Nathan asked. "Why are we not at home, and why do I feel as if my head is being spilt in half?"_

_"Mum, Daddy, do you remember me telling you about how the magical world was under the threat of war by a group of terrorists?" Hermione asked._

_"Yes, you said they were more extreme than even the most radical Nazis or religious fundamentalists," Nathan said. "But what does that have to do with anything?"_

_"Well, the war was getting really bad," Hermione said. "The Headmaster had been killed, the Ministry was in shambles and the world was very nearly about to collapse, and I couldn't risk your lives so I…"_

_"What did you do Hermione?" Juliet asked. Harry's eyes narrowed at the slight accusation in the elder Granger woman's tone._

_"I had no other choice," Hermione whispered._

_"Hermione Jane Granger, what did you do?" Nathan demanded._

_Hermione wilted under her father's gaze. "I erased your memories of me and gave you the idea of moving here to Australia," she answered in a rush._

_"You did WHAT!" Nathan roared. "Ah my head," he groaned, clutching his head once again._

_"I had to do it," Hermione pleaded. "I had to make sure that you two were safe."_

_"By sending us away!" Juliet screamed. "You are our child! Our only daughter, and yet you used magic on us! Forced us to leave our home and friends, how could you do this to us!"_

_"What was I supposed to do?" Hermione shot back, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "Let you be killed, all because you can't do magic. The animals that we had to fight would have killed you just because of who you are, and that didn't even take into account that my best friend is Harry Potter."_

_"But you didn't ask us Hermione!" Nathan shouted. "You used magic on us without even talking with us."_

_"I couldn't take the chance that you wouldn't go along with my plan," Hermione countered. "You are my parents, I couldn't let something happen to you if I could prevent it."_

_"Hermione, you took away our choice!" Juliet said. "You forced your will on us, and did it in such a way that your father and I can never defend ourselves from. You acted just like those Death Eaters you told us about, or that Malfoy boy, using magic on muggles, without fearing the consequences."_

_Hermione's face drastically lost color; she now looked as pale as a corpse._

_"Mrs. Granger, surely you can see that what Hermione did was for your safety," Harry said, coming to Hermione's defense. "I know your daughter, she would not have done this if she had any other choice. This decision tore her apart."_

_"Sure it did," Nathan sneered. "It tore her up so much that she still went through with it."_

_Harry grit his teeth at the brown haired man. He knew that most of this aggression came from anger and shock. "Mr. Granger, I can understand your anger, and I'm sure that Hermione can understand it as well," Harry said. "But as you and Mrs. Granger pointed out, you have no defense against magic. Hermione might have uprooted you but she also saved your lived. In early September of last year, Death Eaters destroyed your home. If Hermione had not done what she did, you both most likely would be dead."_

_Nathan and Juliet looked at their daughter, who was trying to stem the flood of tears streaming down her cheeks._

_"Why didn't you just tell us?" Juliet asked, her own tears streaming down her face. "Why did you take away our choice?"_

_"I couldn't take the chance that you wouldn't go," Hermione sobbed. "If I had told you, you might have not gone. If you knew what had happened during my time at Hogwarts, would you have let me go back?"_

_Nathan and Juliet looked to one another once more._

_"No," Nathan admitted. "Hermione, we are your parents. It is our job to make sure that you are safe. We want you to be safe; we want what's best for you. You tell us that a vicious terrorist wanted to take over the world, and was willing to kill anyone who didn't agree with his views, and our first thought is to get you the hell out of that world."_

_"Exactly," Hermione said. "I'm a witch, I was born a witch and I'll die a witch…"_

_"Not for a very long time though," Harry cut in._

_"Right," Hermione continued. "And being a witch is as much a part of me as being the daughter of Nathan and Juliet Granger is. If you had taken me away from Hogwarts, away from Harry I…"_

_Nathan and Juliet turned their attention to the young man who had accompanied their daughter._

_"So you are Harry Potter?" Nathan asked, pinning Harry with a glare that Harry had never been the focus of. It was the glare of a father who was sizing up a potential partner for his daughter._

_"Yes sir," Harry answered, meeting Nathan's gaze without flinching, he had had plenty of practice from Dumbledore, Voldemort and Snape, though this look from his best friend's father shook him more than those other three. And he had no clue why._

_"So you are the reason that my daughter felt it necessary to violate her parents' trust so drastically?" he asked._

_"Daddy!" Hermione cried._

_"Nathan!" Juliet scolded, though it was half-hearted._

_"Sir I can understand your accusation," Harry said slowly. "It is true that I was the main target of the terrorists, pretty much all my life and certainly since my parents were murdered when I was only a year old." Here Nathan had a grace to flinch but Harry continued, "And because Hermione is my best friend, she became a major target for these animals. Though I should say that she would have been a major target anyway because she was the first witch in her family, and the fact that she is the smartest and most powerful witch of her generation and that didn't sit well with the bigots who thought themselves better just because of who their parents were."_

_"He's right mum, dad," Hermione spoke up. "I would have been deemed unworthy of practicing magic just because of whom my parents were."_

_"So we are at fault?" Juliet asked._

_"No!" Hermione and Harry screamed._

_"The Death Eaters and their beliefs are at fault," Harry explained. "They believe that just because their families have had magic for generations, that they are better than anyone else. Though there is evidence that keeping their lines pure, by only allowing their children to marry other purebloods, has actually weakened their lines."_

_"What do you mean?" Juliet asked._

_"Well, Hermione do you remember the tapestry at Sirius' house?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded, recalling the ratty and torn tapestry. "It showed that pretty much all the Death Eaters are related in someway."_

_"And if these families are only allowing their children to marry certain individuals, it increases the risk of birth defects and diseases," Juliet broke in, seeing the point that Harry was making._

_"I wonder that the lack of magic ability that Squibs possess is what passes for a birth defect in the magical world," Hermione said._

_"It doesn't matter now," Nathan spoke up. "I guess that since you two are here, that means the war is over, right?" Hermione and Harry nodded. "All right, Harry would you excuse us, its time for a Granger family meeting."_

_Hermione was going to protest but was stopped by a raised hand from an unlikely source, Harry. "It's ok Hermione, you three need this, even I can see it," he said. "I'll be in the kitchen if that's alight?"_

_Nathan and Juliet nodded their thanks to Harry, who gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek before leaving the sitting room._

"Do you know if the baby will be a boy or girl?" Harry asked.

Hermione shook her head. "It's still too early to find out," she said. "And I was thinking of it being a surprise."

"What do you mean?"

"That we don't find out the gender until we have the baby," she explained.

"Oh ok," Harry nodded.

"You're ok with that?" Hermione asked.

"I'm sure Hermione," he chuckled. "I'm fine if you want to wait and see love. All I care about is that the baby is healthy."

Hermione smiled brightly and pulled Harry down for a soft, thankful kiss.

* * *

It had been three weeks since Harry and Hermione had met with the Prime Minister, a woman only known as M and the fabled 007. Hogwarts had just let out for the summer holidays and Harry and Hermione had returned to Grimmauld Place after cleaning out their offices at Hogwarts. They were in the process of getting settled for the summer when a tawny, regal looking owl soared through the open window.

"And who do you belong too?" Harry asked, unfurling the scroll from the owl's leg.

"Who is it from Harry?" Hermione asked, looking up from the desk where she was writing letter to members of the Order of the Streaking Dragon.

"Kingsley," Harry said. "His term as Minister is coming to an end and he's looking to run for re-election. And he wants our support."

Hermione turned to face her husband. "Interesting," she said. "Does it say who else is running?"

"Doesn't say," Harry said. "We'll probably find out at the Wizengamont meeting next week. Have you sent those letters to the others yet?" Hermione shook her head. "Good, let them know that we're having a meeting of our own tomorrow night to discuss this."

Hermione nodded and with a flick of her wand, the stack of letters glowed a dull white before the light dissipated.

"Thank you all for coming," Harry said as the group finished filing into the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. "Now, some of you might be wondering why we called you here. Well, in the coming weeks we have an opportunity to shape the future of the world. The elections for the Minister of Magic are approaching and with our votes, we can shape the election to suit our goals. Kingsley is running for re-election with Arthur Weasley as his Undersecretary."

"My uncle, Alexander, is also running," Theodore Nott spoke up. "With a Andrew Brocklehurst as his Undersecretary. They will be the conservative candidates. And Amos Diggory is the dark horse candidate with Daniel Thompson as his Undersecretary."

"I wouldn't be surprised if someone tries to nominate you Potter," Daphne Greengrass said.

Harry frowned. "I am expecting it during the meeting," he said. "We all know how fickle witches and wizards can be. But let me assure you, I have no ambition to be Minister, so I will refuse any nominations. I refuse to become Dumbledore."

Hermione hid a small smile at her husband's words and declaration.

"But we do have a decision to make; who do we vote for?" Harry said. "And do we vote as a bloc or as individuals?"

"I believe that with the Potter, Black, Longbottom and Bones votes plus the votes that Shacklebolt has already gained, he should be reelected," Daphne said. "That would allow the rest of us to vote in how we are expected too. It is still to early to make any major changes."

"I agree with Daphne," Neville said. "The Department for the Introduction to the Magical World is working well, as are the changes we've made at Hogwarts, there is no reason to speed things up."

"Very well then," Hermione said. "Are there any other business that we need to discuss?"

"What are we going to do about this new group of Dark witches and wizards?" a voice asked from the back of the room.

"At the moment, there is not a lot that we can do," Harry admitted. "We don't know enough about the Ventsduchaos to make any strong moves. We only know that they are striving for complete separation between the magical and muggle worlds. If you do run into any members, capture them if possible but don't risk your lives in doing so. If you do capture a member, signal the Aurors, Susan is in charge of the investigation, so she will be our ears and eyes inside the Ministry."

"And what about the Order?" Luna asked. She had suffered nearly as much as Hermione and Harry had through the inaction or just willful disregard of the Order. During her years at Hogwarts, she had been subjected to hateful and cruel teasing and bullying from her fellow Ravenclaws and the other students, and the professors did nothing to stop it. Luna had found out through Harry and Hermione that Dumbledore and the other professors had purposely turned a blind eye toward Luna's treatment at the hands of the other students believing that it would toughen her up, or set her straight.

In Luna's second year, she had been locked out of the Ravenclaw common room several times a week, and twice she had been locked out of the castle and had been nearly Kissed by a Dementor, only managing to get away thanks to some help from various magical creatures. During Luna's third year, a Beauxbatons boy had asked Luna to the Yule Ball, Luna had been so excited only to be crushed when it turned out that one of the Ravenclaw upper years had stolen her date by 'persuading' the boy to ditch Luna and go with her. Luna had come down to the Great Hall to meet with her date, only to see her date having his arm stuck between the breasts of one of Luna's biggest tormentors, Mandy Brocklehurst. It was only in Luna's fourth year, and her inclusion with the DA that things began to get better, if only for a short time. In Luna's sixth year, Hogwarts became a hell on earth for the young girl. With Snape at the helm, the Carrows prowling the halls and the other professors keeping their heads down, Luna, as a known friend and confident of Harry Better, was a frequent target of both the Carrows and the junior Death Eaters.

"We are working on them Luna," Hermione said. "There are only a few members that we can go after without arousing suspicion."

"I want Slughorn," Luna snarled. "I've waited for five years, I've waited long enough."

"Very well Luna," Harry said. "But you will need to be a little more patient, Slughorn very rarely leaves the castle even now. We will need to draw him away from the castle somehow."

"Use his greed," Luna stated forcefully. "Tell him that you have found some rare potions ingredient or something."

"Luna, I know you want your pound of flesh," Harry said. "But I can't just let you take it from someone, no matter how much that person may deserve death."

* * *

"The third meeting of the Wizengamont for the year 2004 has now commenced," Tiberius Ogden said. "The first point of business is concerning the nominations for Minister of Magic. We will now open the floor for nominations."

"I nominate Kingsley Shacklebolt, the sitting Minister of Magic, for reelection," Susan Bones said.

"I second the nomination," Neville said, raising his wand.

"I nominate Alexander Nott, Lord of the Ancient House of Nott," the voice of Anthony Jugson, the nephew of the deceased Death eater of the same name, said from the gallery.

"I second the nomination," Edward Parkinson called down.

"I nominate Harry Potter!"

The chamber fell silent at the announcement. Both Kingsley and Nott knew that there was a very real chance that they would lose the election in a landslide if Harry decided to run.

Harry rose from his seat. "Before anyone tries to second me, I would like to say I have no ambition to become Minister," he said. "I enjoy my work at Hogwarts and have no desire to leave the castle. So thank you for your confidence and belief that I would make a worthy Minister but I must decline."

"Thank you Lord Potter-Black," Ogden said. "Now does anyone else have any other names they wish to nominate?" After a moment of waiting, Ogden slammed his gavel down on the podium. "Very well then, we now have our two candidates, we will table this decision for one week's time to allow the candidates time to prepare to address this body. Now, moving onto the second order of business, the investigation of the Ventsduchaos. Director Bones, you now have the floor."

"Thank you Chief Warlock," Susan said, stepping down from her seat to the chamber floor. "Now, as you are all aware, our country is once more under the threat of a group of Dark witches and wizards. We know that this group wishes to completely separate the magical and muggle worlds, and that they do not adhere to any sense of pureblood superiority."

"Yes Director, yes, we already know all this," Nott drawled. "Have you found out anything else?"

Susan took a deep breath to avoid losing her temper at the arrogant man. "Yes Lord Nott," she said. "We have found out quite a bit about the Ventsduchaos. We now know that this group is purely made up of radicals from the continent. They were deemed radicals because they want to have the ICW break apart. They believe that the individual Ministries should not answer to the ICW, and they seem to be willing to fight for their beliefs."

"What do you mean Director?" Harry asked. "Why would these radicals wish to take down the ICW?"

"From preliminary reports, these radicals all believe that the ICW is nothing more than a figurehead," Susan said. "That it doesn't have any real power and that the countries' individual Ministries should handle problems themselves."

"So what, they believe we'd be better off fending for ourselves?" Neville asked.

"I am somewhat surprised that these Ventsduchaos haven't recruited from Britain," Harry mused aloud. "Excuse my lack of experience in dealing with the ICW but they did nothing to assist Britain in both Blood Wars against Voldemort."

"Well yes, that is true," Ogden said. "The Dark Lord was a purely British matter however, while the previous threat, Grindelwald was on an international level."

"So the ICW would have just sat back and watched as Voldemort took over if he hadn't been defeated by Harry?" Neville asked.

"Wasn't Dumbledore the Supreme Mugwump? He knew how powerful Voldemort was, why didn't he use his position to get help?" Hermione asked. "He knew that if Voldemort managed to succeed in taking over Britain, he would have turned his attention toward the rest of Europe. Wouldn't it have been better to make sure that Voldemort was defeated before he even had a chance to win?"

"I believe I can answer that," a new voice spoke up. All eyes in the chamber turned to Adrian Greengrass. The Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass was Britain's representative to the ICW along with being Daphne's husband. Adrian had taken Daphne's family's name when the couple had married two years previous.

"Yes Lord Greengrass?" Harry asked.

"When I received word of this Ventsduchaos group, I began speaking with my fellow representatives about what they were doing about this group," Adrian said. "And they said that for the most part, each country effected was attempting to capture the group themselves, using their own forces."

"So they are doing nothing?" Harry asked sharply.

"Lord Potter-Black, please remember, that the ICW has no standing army, no forces in which to send to aid other countries," Adrian said. "They have no real, true power to make laws."

"But still, from intelligence reports we've received, the Ventsduchaos are only operating here in Britain and on the continent," Susan said. "Why hasn't the ICW asked for assistance from the colonies or other countries away from Europe?"

"Those countries don't wish to get involved," Adrian answered. "Also, because the ICW has for the most part been an European organization and those across the Atlantic have no wish to get involved in what they believe to be Europe's problem."

Several of the members made disgusted sounds at this new information.

"If we are truly on our own in the face of this threat," Harry said. "I move that this body lift the restrictions from our Aurors so that they are better able to protect us."

"I second that," Hermione said, rising from her seat.

"I agree with Lord and Lady Potter-Black!" Neville added from his own seat.

"Very well," Ogden said. "Let us put it to a vote. All in favor of the proposal raise their wands and light them." All around the chamber, wands were raised and lit. Hermione quickly made a head count of the lit wands and a small smile spread across her face when she saw that the count was over two-thirds of the chamber. "Very well then, the motion passes. Minister, Director Bones, inform your Aurors that the spell restrictions have been lifted from their peacetime restrictions and now are allowed to use offensive spells in situations not just limited in defense of their lives or lives of the innocent. However Director, this is not an allowance for your Aurors to do what they wish. After each mission, they will still need to go through the proper debriefing procedures, and if they are found in violation the penalties will be severe."

"Understood Chief Warlock," Susan said.

"I believe that we have reached the end of this meeting," Ogden said. "We are adjourned until next month's meeting." Ogden banged his gavel on the podium with a sharp clack that echoed throughout the chamber.

* * *

"Thank you for coming Professor Potter, Professor Potter," a thin and reedy voice said as Harry and Hermione entered the staffroom. "This meeting should not take very long, we do apologize from taking away from your rightly deserved time off."

"Yes, yes, now what do you want?" Harry asked.

"We want to ask you about the changes you've made to the curriculum here at Hogwarts," Griselda Marshbanks said.

"What about them?" Hermione pressed.

"Well, what made you think that these changes were needed?" Deanna Derwent asked. Derwent was the great great granddaughter of former Hogwarts Headmistress Dilys Derwent. "Perhaps the updating of certain subjects was needed but to demand that Muggle Studies become a core class, mandatory for all non-muggleborns or muggle-raised, now that has ruffled some feathers."

"Well then, they are feathers that needed to be ruffled," Harry said. "This world was rotting from within, becoming stagnant and in danger of withering away. These changes had to be made or Hogwarts would have continued in a downward spiral…"

"Nonsense!" countered a cultured male voice from the table. It was Daniel Everard, another descendent of a former Head of Hogwarts. "Hogwarts has stood for over a thousand years, and it will still be standing long after we have all left this life."

"If you truly believe that then you are blind," Harry retorted. "While the castle might still be here but it will be empty, nothing more than a reminder of all the mistakes that could have been easily fixed. Hogwarts' needs these changes or it will fall into a spiral that it will never recover from. The outside world constantly growing, expanding, if the magical world doesn't wake up soon it will be too late and everything will come crashing down."

"The students need to learn how far the muggle world has come, or they will continue to disrespect the muggles," Hermione said. "And if they do that, they will continue underestimate muggles and that could be a deadly mistake."

"Do you mean to tell us that the muggles are going to attack us?" Marshbanks gasped.

"Not unless they feel threatened," Harry said. "The magical world doesn't think that the muggle world is much of a threat, yet the muggles outnumber magical beings roughly 1,000:1. If the magical world wants to continue surviving on its own, then its citizens must learn how to blend in with the muggles. They can't keep isolating themselves, hiding in the shadows, because soon there won't be any place to hide."

"The changes that we have implemented are what are needed to insure the survival of this world," Hermione said. "We have the approval of Headmistress McGonagall, and they will be implemented whether you like it or not."

"Are you threatening us?" Everard asked with a darkening tone.

"No, of course not," Harry answered with an innocent smile. "We are just telling you what will happen and that you have no say in the matter."

"We are the Board of Governors!" Deanna shouted. "We control what is taught or not taught at Hogwarts."

"Not anymore," Hermione grinned. The Board shivered under both her and Harry's dark looks. "The Board is only needed when the owners of Hogwarts, or their descendants are unable to take control."

"But those lines were broken!" Daniel screamed, surging to his feet. "The Founders' lines have been extinct for generations, the last possible Heir was You-Know-Who."

"Actually, you're wrong," Harry chuckled. "The lines were hidden yes but not extinct. In fact, during our time at Hogwarts, all four of the lines had their Heirs in attendance."

"And what Potter, do you claim to be the Heir of Gryffindor?" Deanna sneered.

"Why yes," Harry chuckled. "I am the Heir of Gryffindor. Gryffindor's eldest child, a daughter named Annabelle, married into the Potters just after the opening of Hogwarts."

"I am the Heiress of Ravenclaw," Hermione said brightly.

"But you're a muggleborn!"

"The Ravenclaw line is matriarchal," Hermione explained. "Only a woman can inherit, and only those worthy. I am the first witch in my family's line in nearly three centuries."

"What about Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"

"Well, it was true that Tom Riddle was the last known Heir of Slytherin," Harry said. "But if you go back far enough, you will find out that Slytherin's great-great grandson changed his last name from Slytherin to Ophite. Several centuries later, a descendant of that man married into a predominately Light family back here in England, the Longbottoms. Neville is the Heir of Slytherin."

"And Tracey Davies is the Heiress of Hufflepuff," Hermione said. "Helga Hufflepuff came to Scotland from Scandinavia and her descendants married into a family that became the Davies."

"So your services are no longer required," Harry finished off the shocking conversation with a wide smile. He and Hermione then turned on their heels and swept from the staffroom, leaving the former Board of Governors gaping after the couple.

**A/N: And there we have it, the newest installment of _Two Sides_. Hope you all enjoyed it. At the ned of the last chapter, I said I wish that JK had added more information on Harry's family, as family is one of the main themes in _Harry Potter_, yet we see nothing about Harry's family aside from James, Lily and the Dursleys and I wanted more. So I created a family tree for Harry, I couldn't find a way to post it as a link on my profile but it is available as a PDF on my blog at .com under writing posts if you want to take a look. It's broken up into three pages, since the site I used to create it wouldn't let me get it all on one page. Let me know what you think of the tree and this chapter,** **til next time,**

**S.R.W.M.O**


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